A New Path, A New Wanderer
by TerraKH
Summary: A next-gen story taking place 15 years after my Wanderer's Trilogy. Follows the story of Jack Rikkison's son Pierce, who is a new Keyblade apprentice who finds himself suddenly one of the last Keyblade wielders when a new enemy rises and eliminates the heroes. He is allied with the son of Lea, the apprentice of Ven, and many other unique allies, with the worlds turned against them.
1. Prologue: The Legacy

**Hey, everyone! Although it's probably not a good idea to start this right now since I have four stories out right now, I was hit with a major brainblast today on the whole thing.**

**To any new readers, welcome, but you might want to read my Wanderer's Trilogy first before reading this.**

**To all returning readers, great to see you again! I'm glad you liked my stories enough to want more, and I hope you are pleased with this, my latest creation!**

**I own nothing to do with Kingdom Hearts. If I did, Square Enix wouldn't be going bankrupt right now because of stupid FF13 and 14. They would have remade Final Fantasy 4, 7, and 10 already, and KH3 would have been the greatest game ever! Sadly, I only own the Rikkison family and the villain of this story. Any other OCs owned by other authors I know(you know who you are), credit will be given to the owner when the character comes in.**

**That being said, welcome to a new era in the Wanderer's Series. I own Pierce, Jack, Mist, Rayne, Jason, and Marek. Griffin belongs to TheEighthLight. Ava belongs to AngelicWinds.**

**I think that's it! Alrighty, enjoy! **

Prologue: The Legacy

"Woah….!" Pierce exclaimed, staring out of the window, his hand pressed against the glass.

"Beautiful, right?" Terra asked him. Pierce nodded as he continued to stare at the cosmos just a few feet away. Roaring waves of light swam past the gummi ship, disappearing in a fraction of a second. The stars seemed barely beyond his reach.

"Each of those stars is another world." Riku told him, sitting next to the boy and staring out at the worlds, too.

"There are so many. I would have never thought the universe was so big." Pierce replied in awe. Riku smiled at him.

"When you're out on your glider, you can feel the warmth of their light. It's so warm that you almost forget what you need to do. You just let it fill you, and bask in the moment." Ven told him from across the cockpit. Pierce looked back at him and smirked.

"I think that's the wisest thing you've ever said, Uncle Ven." he told him with a cheeky smile. Ven raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Yep, you definitely got your dad's sarcasm, that's for sure." he said, smiling. Pierce shrugged his shoulders.

"He thinks I'm nothing like him." he replied, turning back to the window quietly. The air in the cockpit got tense and serious all of the sudden.

"Give him more credit than that, Pierce." Terra told him calmly, guiding the ship through an asteroid belt.

Terra, Riku, and Ven were all wearing the new Keyblade Master armor given to all of the new Keybladers. After the Final War had ended, Jason Rikkison had reinstated the active Keyblade wielders to a full organization, called the Light's Enforcers. Each member was given identical armor. Currently, the LE consisted of Terra, Riku, Ven, Lea, Roxas, and Mickey. Jack and Aqua had retired, and Xion had agreed to stay in Twilight Town with Namine and their friends. Marek was the new Wanderer. He appeared one day, and he was gone the next. No one ever could track him down. While Jason oversaw the LE, Eraqus had continued to train new apprentices, even in his elder years.

Currently, Terra, Riku, and Ven were all wearing black armor. The armor had a golden Kingdom Hearts symbol on the chest guard, gold stripes wrapped around the legs, arms, and torso, and their boots ended in silver tips.

Pierce didn't reply to Terra's comment. "You and Rayne are his whole world." Ven told him, walking over and sitting next to him.

"He's given you this chance to prove yourself. That means he trusts you, you know." Riku put in. Pierce shook his head.

"Why didn't my dad come back to active duty? When you asked him to come back because you needed him, he said no. He doesn't care about anything anymore, let alone his own family." he told them quietly. The three men shared a glance and a sigh.

"The reason he chose not to come back, Pierce, was because….." Terra began. At that moment, something hit the side of the ship.

"What is it? Heartless?" Ven asked their leader. Terra shook his head.

"I'm not sure." he told him. Riku summoned Way to the Dawn, now longer and more stylized.

"Just open the boarding hatch. Ven and I will deal with it." he told Terra. The brunette nodded and opened the hatch. Pierce left his seat to follow the two men, but Terra caught him.

"No, Pierce. You stay here." he told him firmly.

"But I can help! Let me…..!" the boy began to argue.

"No, you will stay in that seat until they come back. Understood?" Terra told him, narrowing his eyes in sincerity. Pierce held his ground for a few seconds, and then sighed.

"Understood…." he muttered. Terra nodded in appeasement and turned back to the controls. "Gramps." Pierce muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing…."

LOADING BAY…

Ven and Riku looked at each other firmly and nodded. Simultaneously, black and silver helmets appeared on their heads in a flash of light. "We are agents of the Light's Enforcers! Declare yourself and your intent!" Riku called out to the empty Lanes Between. They waited for several moments and heard nothing. Just as they were turning to head back to the cockpit, they heard a loud noise. With a squeal of delight, a figure in pink armor on an equally pink Keyblade rider soared into the bay. Riku and Ven dove in opposite directions to avoid the crash landing. The rider crashed into the wall, and the driver fell onto her back. Riku and Ven stood back up and looked at her in annoyance, Ven in particular.

"What do you think you're doing?!" he asked her in irritation. The girl slowly stood to her feet and dismissed her armor, revealing pale skin, brown hair reaching her shoulders, and amber eyes. She was wearing a blue and white striped shirt with the sleeves reaching her elbows, denim shorts, knee-high black sneakers, a white headband, black wristbands, and a charm bracelet.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him, brushing the dirt off of her clothes. Ven sighed and smacked his forehead.

"Ava, how many times have I told you not use your rider until you can control it?" he asked her, covering his eyes in embarrassment.

"But I can control it!" she argued, her voice rising a few notches.

"Don't even yell at me! If you were in control, then why did you almost hit me and Riku? And how do you explain that?" he asked her, gesturing toward her rider, crashed on the floor against the wall. She laughed nervously, quickly dismissing her Keyblade.

"I didn't hit you, did I? I didn't think so. There's your proof I was in control." she told him, raising her eyebrows in victory. Ven sighed.

"Some days, Ava, you make me loath being your master….." he muttered, turning to the cockpit. She smiled at him, until he turned away. Then she stuck her tongue at him. Riku saw this and shook his head.

"What?" she asked him, laughing.

"Be glad you're not my student….." he told her simply, walking back into the cockpit, leaving her alone.

COCKPIT….

"What was it?" Terra asked as they walked back into the room. Pierce was pouting in his chair.

"Ava." Ven said simply. Terra nodded, as if that was all the answer he needed, and turned back to the controls.

"We should be there in under an hour." Terra announced as Riku took the copilot seat. Pierce glared at the adults, but quickly dropped his pouting face when Ava walked into the room. She looked right at him and smiled.

"Hi." she greeted, walking over to him. "I'm Ava, Ven's apprentice." she introduced, holding out her hand. He took her hand, sharing her smile.

"Pierce." he told her. Her eyes widened in realization.

"Oh, you're Jack's son! We've been waiting for you for a while!" she told him happily. He smiled, but inside he was angry.

"_Is that how it's gonna be everywhere I go? Everyone will just know me as 'Jack's son?" _he thought angrily.

"Who's 'we?" he asked her casually.

"Oh, me, Master Eraqus and the other apprentice." she told him simply.

"There's only one more?" he asked her in confusion. She nodded.

"Yep! It's just you, me, and Griffin!" she told him.

"Ava, come here for a second." Ven told her. She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Gotta go." she whispered to Pierce, before standing up and walking over to Ven. With a slight smile, Pierce looked back out the window.

"I have a feeling that I'm gonna like this a lot more than I thought." he muttered happily.

SIX MONTHS LATER…..

"Block left, Pierce! Steady, now! Hit! Again! Not quick enough! Again!" Master Eraqus barked. Pierce was completely out of breath. Eraqus had had him training all morning, and he was exhausted.

"How did Dad keep up with this old codger?!" he muttered in exasperation.

"I heard that!" Eraqus told him. "Come, again!" With a final urge, Pierce finished the drill and collapsed. Eraqus beamed at him. "Well done, Pierce. You are improving vastly and quickly. You are one of the best students I've ever taught. Alright, Griffin, your turn!" he said, turning to the youngest apprentice.

Each of the three had an active master. Ava had Ven, Griffin had Terra, and Pierce had Riku, but Eraqus handled most of their training and homecare since the three were normally out on patrols and such.

Griffin stepped into the ring. He was a younger lad, only about twelve years old, but he was often underestimated. His spiky red hair shining bright in the sun, he curled his fists calmly, his blue fingerless gloves glowing with magic. He had a blue zip-up jacket, jeans, and black shoes. Despite being Lea's son, he was more of a mage than a pyro. His specialty was in shape-shifting and creating illusions. He was such a good acrobat that he finished the exercise in ten minutes what had taken Pierce almost an hour.

It had only been a few days when the young Rikkison had learned that he was at a sore disadvantage from his fellows. His training had started late. Ava had been training for three years already, since she was Griffin's age. The younger boy had been training for a year already.

After Griffin and Ava completed the final exercise, Eraqus called them all to stop. "Griffin, Ava, you two have the rest of the day off. Pierce and I have something to talk about." he told them. Griffin walked away without a word, waiting for Ava at the door to the castle. She looked at Pierce for a minute, but he smiled at her and nodded. She smiled back and walked inside with Griffin.

"What's up, Master?" Pierce asked Eraqus as he fell in line next to him.

"We are going to the summit." he announced.

"Can I ask for what?" the boy asked. Eraqus chuckled.

"Better to wait and see." he replied.

They walked in silence for several minutes until they neared the summit. "It is my understanding that today…..is a very special day." Eraqus told Pierce amusingly.

"It's nothing important." Pierce replied, his face growing red.

"Nonsense. Today is your birthday, and that is a very special event, when a young man turns 16. It calls for more than just a celebration between master and apprentice." Eraqus continued as they walked into the clearing. It took Pierce less than a minute to figure out that they weren't alone.

Across the clearing, looking as healthy as ever, were Jack and Mist.

**A TerraKH production...**

**The story reborn through the eyes of the next generation...**

**All you know will be questioned...**

**As even the motives of Jack Rikkison are revealed to be questionable...**

**The dark truths behind the Rikkison lineage shall be revealed...**

**Pierce will not stand alone...**

**For one's friends will always be there to guide the way...**

**So how did you like the first chapter? AW, I hope I did Ava how you wanted. TheEighthLight, I promise Griffin well get more character next chapter! I hope you enjoyed and please review!**


	2. Ch 2: The Purge Begins

**Hey, guys! I'm glad you all liked the first chapter! I hope you like this one, too! Shout outs:**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Haha, well it was a lot slower than it was going to be. The original already had the villain making his move. I wanted to show that Pierce is a lot like Jack in that way, lol.**

**Shadowdragon1317: Thanks, and I did!**

**Celeron96: It's tied with Dissidia as the main. That will be explained this chapter.**

**13TheAce: So many questions! Yes, and I'm not sure yet. He'll definitely have a catch phrase, though, lol.**

**The Unknowing Herald: Haha, but would you already be hooked otherwise? **

**TheEighthLight: I think that's the highest compliment you've ever given me, haha. Thanks so much!**

**You know what I own. Ava belongs to AngelicWinds, Griffin belongs to TheEighthLight. Enjoy!**

Chapter 2: The Purge Begins

"Mom? Dad? You're here!" Pierce exclaimed in happiness as he ran up and embraced them.

"Of course we're here! We wouldn't miss this!" Mist told him, smiling at him. He smiled back and looked at his father. Jack beamed at him proudly.

"Happy Birthday, son." he told him, holding out a small, neatly wrapped present. Pierce smiled at him and took the present. Eraqus walked up to see what Jack had given his son.

"No way….!" the boy said in awe as he held up a black keychain. Jack smiled in utmost happiness.

"Way. Summon it, Pierce." he told his son. Pierce took on a serious look and focused on the keychain in his hand.

After several minutes of silence, he flicked his wrist, his blade appearing in his hand instantly. "Woah….!" he exclaimed again. The Keyblade had a vague resemblance to Jack's original, Wanderer's Call. The blade was completely black, the hilt was a mixture of gold and silver, and the teeth were silver, resembling spikes.

"This blade is a manifestation of your own heart. It reflects your personality, and your heart. Choose a name for it, Pierce." Jack told him, placing his hand on his son's shoulder. Pierce thought long and hard. Countless names flowed through his mind, but he couldn't pick one.

"Dad, I…" he began, but Jack nodded.

"It doesn't need to be done right away. Enjoy the moment. Happy birthday, Pierce." Mist told her son again. Pierce nodded, dismissing the Keyblade. Holding on to the chain, he looked at his father.

"Thank you, Dad. Next can I have your black vest?" he asked him hopefully. Jack sighed, smiling in amusement. He ruffled his son's hair.

"We'll see, sport. One day, maybe." he replied, looking over at Eraqus. "You're doing a great job with him, old man." he complimented. Eraqus rolled his eyes.

"I resent that reference, Jack. And I haven't done anything but train him. All the rest came from the two of you." he replied. Jack looked at him in amusement, before sighing.

"So, where's Terra? I was hoping to see him." he asked. It was Pierce who answered.

"He, Uncle Riku, and Uncle Ven are out on patrol. That's what they're usually doing for the LE." he told him. Jack looked at his son in surprise. Eraqus cleared his throat.

"Speaking of which, Jason wanted me to ask you when you and Sora are going to return to active duty." he told Jack. The former wanderer sighed.

"I'm not coming back, master. Sora's home with Kairi. She's due any time now. I'd say half a year at least for him." he explained. Eraqus nodded.

"I'll let him know. It is getting late. You probably want to return home, am I right?" he asked them. Jack shrugged his shoulders, but Mist nodded.

"We do need to go. By the way, Pierce, Rayne apologized for not being able to come. We left her behind to tend to your uncle. Marek dropped in last night with a fever. It was good to see you again, honey." she told Pierce. He nodded, and mother and son embraced tightly.

Letting go, he turned to his father. Jack smiled as he hugged his son, running his hand over his son's hair. "Take care of yourself, alright? I know you're not a boy anymore, but promise me." he whispered firmly. Pierce nodded.

"I promise, Dad." he told him sincerely. Jack smiled and stepped away. He held up his hand, opening a portal of light.

"May the light pass from me and keep watch over you, son." Jack called out as Mist stepped through first. Pierce nodded and waved at his father as he too stepped through and disappeared.

"Well, come. Let's go back to the castle, Pierce. We have a busy day tomorrow." Eraqus told him, unaffected by the emotional scene.

LATER THAT EVENING IN THE CASTLE….

Pierce tossed and turned in bed. His dreams were filled with dread and loneliness. His father walked in and out of his dreams, forever haunted by an old man in a black coat. He watched in horror as his father Jack screamed in agony and his eyes began to change color…

"NO!" he exclaimed as he bolted upright, now wide awake. Realizing it was all a dream, he tried to settle his rapidly beating heart down, but the feeling of dread wouldn't go away. After another ten minutes of that, he sighed and swung out of bed. Putting on a gray sleeveless shirt and black shorts, he walked out of his bedroom. He dragged his feet down the hallway rubbing his eyes.

Walking into the living room, he found Ava wide awake and painting her toenails. _"Seriously, why do girls do that stuff?" _he thought to himself. Griffin was also awake. He was leaning against the wall, tossing his dagger into the air and catching it repeatedly.

"Do you guys ever sleep?" Pierce asked them as he got a glass of water from the kitchen. Ava smiled at him.

"Not on nights like this." she told him. He looked at Griffin, but the younger boy shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm still haunted by demons." he said simply.

"What demons?" Pierce asked him curiously. Griffin just kept tossing his dagger around.

"It's my own business." he replied. Pierce sighed and turned back to Ava.

"What do you mean 'on nights like this?' What's up with tonight?" he asked her. She set her feet back on the floor and turned to him.

"The stars are flickering constantly. That's a sign that something really bad is coming." she explained.

"Bull crap." he told her in disbelief. She shrugged her shoulders and pointed at the window. He walked over and looked out at the sky.

Indeed, the stars were flickering dangerously, almost as if they were fighting to not go out. "What could this mean?" he asked her. Ava looked at him with a grave expression.

MYSTERIOUS TOWER, CURRENT LIGHT'S ENFORCERS' HQ…..

Jason set down his quill with a sigh. Normally, all was silent in the tower that used to belong to Master Yen Sid. The night was so perfectly silent that almost anyone would have thought nothing of the silence. However, Jason was a wise old man, and he knew that he wasn't alone in the tower. It was a presence he had not felt since his childhood. "Impossible…." he muttered, but there was no mistaking it.

He wasted no time in conjuring the cloud communication spell Yen Sid had always used. Jack's face immediately appeared within it. "What is it, Father?" he asked, knowing that something was wrong.

"Jack, I knew this day would come. Someone has entered the tower. I need you to gather all of the LE that you can, even the former members. It's _him_." he told his son urgently. Jack's eyes widened.

"You are sure? I thought he died all those years ago. Besides, how is he even still alive? He would have died a natural death long before my birth." he questioned. Jason's face was pale now.

"Those who survived the Keyblade War were…..changed. Many obtained some degree of immortality. _He_ was one those who were changed. Either way, it doesn't matter now. _He_'s here, and it's too late for me. I told you this day you would come. It is up to you to stop him before it all is too late." he told Jack urgently. Jack swallowed hard, and slowly nodded. (**Jack's Theme 2{The Truth Revealed, Final Fantasy X}) **

"I will die before he gets what he wants. I guess this is…..goodbye, Father. I'll see you in whatever waits beyond this life." he told his Father. Jason smiled and nodded.

"A father could never have a better son, than you, Jack." he told him. Before Jack could reply, he cut the transmission. At that moment, the study door burst open and a blinding light filled the room. "I knew you would come one day." Jason told the invader.

A figure cloaked in brightest light entered the room. It was obviously male, by the broadness of the shoulders. He was roughly six and a half feet tall. A white robe covered his entire body, and the hood showed only his chin and mouth. The rest of his face was concealed.

"_If you knew I would come, then you know why I am here." _he spoke in a deep, demanding voice. Jason stood up, bravely holding his ground.

"You seek to spill innocent blood. The Keyblade wielders are revered heroes throughout the universe! You will gain nothing by spilling all this innocent blood!" he yelled, but the man held up his hand, silencing the old master.

"_There is no innocence in the Rikkison blood. You yourself know full well the true purpose behind your lineage. Any associated with the Rikkisons are guilty, as well. By harboring traitors, murderers, and outcasts, they themselves have earned the death penalty! I am the reaper, come to sew ruin in the lives of the deserving. My path begins with you, old man. You shall be the first, but you will not be the last. I will not allow the Keyblade or the Rikkisons to ruin another era in our universe's history!" _he roared. Jason breathed deeply.

"Believe and do what you will. It still won't turn the universe against the heroes that saved them more times than can be counted!" he yelled back. The figure held up his hand, closing his fist around Jason's neck and lifting him into the air.

"_I tire of your senile prattle. The Great Purge begins with you, he who spawned the Rikkison meant to ruin everything: Jack Rikkison!" _he roared in uncontrollable fury. With a loud snap, he let Jason's body fall to the floor, where it sunk to the ground, motionless. The figure smiled and laughed to himself, turning for the door.

"_And so the purge begins…." _he muttered, disappearing in a chaotic flash of light. As he vanished, the communicator on Jason's wrist started to go off. Terra's voice could be heard.

"Jason, we're being attacked from everywhere! The Lanes are lost! There's no taking them back from those things! We have to regroup! We need Jack and Sora! Calling all members of the LE! Screw it! Calling anyone who can hear me! We need aid immediately! I don't know how much longer we can…..Ven, look out!" he screamed. **(end Jack's Theme 2)**

**And so it begins….**


	3. Ch 3: Survivor's Guilt(GRAPHIC CONTENT)

**It seems everyone enjoyed the last chapter in both good and bad ways, haha! Shout outs:**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, I will too, probably. I'll have a new chapter up every night this week, since I'm on spring break(I go to a private school). Don't worry, I'm sure you'll LOVE this chapter(evil laugh!)**

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, yes you did. It probably won't, no. Well, by associating with a Rikkison, she has sealed her fate….**

**Celeron96: Well, he's not supposed to, lol, but I see where you're coming from. Yep, she is! For this week, yes.**

**TheEighthLight: Alright, cool!**

**13TheAce: Haha, then I must have done something shocking!**

**AngelicWinds: I'm glad I've made her how you wanted. Oh, trust me, you ain't seen nothing yet!**

**Alright, you know what I own. Ava belongs to AW, Griffin belongs to TEL. Sorry, I'm too lazy to keep typing out the names, even though I do it for shout outs, lol.**

**Enjoy this, the darkest chapter I have ever written, evil laugh!**

Chapter 3: Survivor's Guilt

THE LANES BETWEEN…..

"What are these things?!" Riku exclaimed as he soared through a group of creatures with his rider. The creatures appeared almost humanoid, but they could fly. These were no sort of creatures the heroes were used to facing. They were not made of darkness, but of light.

"We've never seen these before!" Ven yelled as he flipped off his rider, reverting to blade form. He threw his Keyblade through several advancing creatures.

"Could they be Specters?" Riku asked as he spun in a circle, knocking away a dozen creatures. Terra shook his head as he blasted a group with his cannon.

"No, they died with the Illusion. These are something else." he replied.

"They're infinite! We have to fall back and warn the others!" Ven yelled as they began to surround him. Terra grit his teeth and activated his communicator.

"Jason, we're under attack! These creatures of light are coming from everywhere! They're pushing us back!" he yelled. Ven and Riku regrouped to his side, and they whirled around, heading for the nearest world. "Jason, the Lanes are lost! They've been compromised! Damn, he's not responding!" he told the other two. Ven and Riku looked at him with pale faces.

"We'll contact Jack. You get anyone else you can." Riku told him. He reverted his rider to blade form and jumped on the back of Ven's, his blade in hand, ready to fight off the nearby creatures.

Terra sighed, and kept trying to get Jason to respond. "Calling all members of the LE!" he yelled. He looked up at the advancing army and sighed. "Screw it, calling anyone who can hear me! This is agent Terra of the Light's Enforcers! Calling any who can hear me! We need immediate aid! I don't know how much longer we can…." he began as he saw a group of creatures approaching Ven and Riku from behind. "VEN, LOOK OUT!" he screamed, shooting forward. He destroyed the creatures just in time, and together, they fled down to the world.

DESTINY ISLANDS….

Mist came to the doorway and saw Jack putting on his old outfit, the one he had worn during the war with Marek. His sleeveless white shirt, the black pants with gold and silver lining, the black shoes, the white gauntlet on his left arm. His black headband was still in place, as it always had been since the day he had lost his eye. "You don't have to go." she told him. He looked at her gravely.

"My father is dead, and he's after the rest of us and the LE. I have to go." he told her gravely. She looked at him with a sad and worried expression. He looked at her for the first time and saw she had her magic amplification gauntlet on. "No." he told her firmly.

"You can't stop me, Jack. I'm coming. He's not just after us, he's after our children, too. I'm not going to stay here in terror while he seeks out Pierce." she told him even more firmly. He sighed, and put his arms around her tightly.

"All these years, you've been at my side. Even now, when I go to almost certain death, you're still at my side. Mist, since that day you saved me from Xehanort, I have always loved you. I'm glad my final moments will be spent together with you." he told her softly, silent tears coming down his face.

"We will get through this, together. You've never lost a battle before, Jack. Why should this time be any different?" Mist asked him. He smiled at her and didn't reply.

"_Because this time, we're fighting an enemy that can't be beaten." _he thought, but left that in his head.

They walked out to the beach, meeting up with Sora, Kairi, and Aqua. "The baby?" Jack asked them.

"He's with Rayne and Marek. They're staying, Rayne for our sake, and Marek because he's still too sick to move." Sora told him. He nodded slowly.

"Sora, you know we probably won't be coming back." he told his cousin. Sora nodded and looked at the ground.

"I figured as much. But I'm not leaving your side." he told Jack. The former wanderer smiled at the other man.

"Thank you, all of you." he told them. Kairi smiled.

"This man affects the entire realm of light. It's our duty to stop him, or fall trying." she said. Aqua looked at Jack.

"We've spent our whole lives fighting. I'm tired of it all. But, as long as I can see Terra one more time, then my life has been worth it. I'm with you, Jack." she told him. He smiled at her.

"It's not like your alone, got it memorized?" said a voice from the sky. Lea, Roxas, and Xion landed next to the four.

"Where's Namine?" Kairi asked. Roxas looked at the ground, trying to hold in his tears. Xion struggled to speak.

"The creatures….attacked….in Twilight Town, too. They knew we were there, and we couldn't get to her in time…..she's…gone." she told them, bursting in to tears. Kairi quickly wrapped her arms around her, trying to offer comfort.

"Roxas…." Sora began, but the blonde shook his head. Lea looked at Jack.

"They crash landed on a world." he told him, talking about Terra, Ven, and Riku.

"They still alive?" he asked. Lea nodded.

"Our kids are safe too. I checked in on Griffin. He doesn't know I was there, but him, Pierce, and Ava are safe for now." he replied. Jack nodded.

"Thank you. Do you know where they landed?" he asked. Lea nodded. "Where?" Jack asked him. Lea stared at him for several seconds. Jack sighed. "I should have known…." he muttered. He laughed for a second. "How appropriate, right?" he replied. For once, Lea had a very serious expression.

Jack sighed and turned to the group. "Mickey's not coming. He's got his whole kingdom to think about. Marek is too sick to move, and Rayne is staying here with Sora and Kairi's son. So it's us, Terra, Ven, and Riku. I don't need to tell you that we probably won't be coming back, any of us. We're heading to Terra's last known location." he explained to them. The group nodded to him, and he summoned his rider.

"Alright, then. Set course for the Keyblade Graveyard!" he declared, shooting into the sky, followed by the other Keyblade wielders.

LAND OF DEPARTURE…

"Pierce, Griffin, Ava! Come inside immediately." Eraqus demanded, trying to stay calm. The three teens were standing in the courtyard, staring at the nighttime sky. He was fully aware of the situation, and had already set up the world's strongest defenses. They were safe, for the moment. The apprentices silently obeyed and walked into the house.

"What's going on, Master?" Pierce asked him, knowing something wasn't right. Eraqus tried to show a genuine smile, and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"The Lanes Between are…..flooding themselves out with residue darkness. This happens every couple years. Nothing to worry about, but it would be best not to sleep in your own rooms tonight. We'll set up out here in the living room. I promise we'll all be plenty comfortable." he told them, trying to sound excited, but all of them saw right through the act.

Later, as Griffin was setting up his bed, Ava walked over to the window, where Pierce was sitting. "What is it?" he asked her, breaking out of his trance. She sat down next to him.

"There's a battle going on that concerns us. That's why the master doesn't want us to know anything about it." she told him. He looked over at her curiously.

"What all do you know?" he asked her. She shrugged her shoulders, and leaned in to whisper.

"I know everyone lost contact with Master Jason a few days ago. I think your grandfather's gone, Pierce." she told him, trying to sound soft and soothing. Pierce took in this information silently, swallowing hard.

"Pierce, Ava, come over here and close those curtains." Eraqus told them from the couch, where he had set up a bed for Ava. Griffin and Pierce each slept in a chair, Ava had the couch, and Eraqus had dragged his bed in to the room and close to the door. As he went to a light sleep, he summoned Master Keeper and held it in his hand, ready to spring into action should an attack come.

THE KEYBLADE GRAVEYARD…..

"Terra?!" Jack called out as his group landed in the Graveyard.

"Over here!" came a voice. They ran to the base of the towering plateau to find the three heroes resting, exhausted from their fight and crash landing.

"How long do you think we have?" Ven asked Jack.

"Less than we can hope for." he replied, helping him up. He turned to Terra, and grasped his oldest friend's wrist, pulling him onto his feet.

"Come on, Riku." Sora said, pulling Riku onto his feet.

At that moment, a sandstorm began to appear around them. There was a flash of lightning hitting the ground across the plain. When the smoke cleared, there was no army waiting for them, only a tall man covered in a white robe and hood that only showed his chin and mouth. _"The Purge has begun, Rikkison!" _he yelled, his voice echoing across the plain, addressing Jack in particular. Jack cautiously stepped forward.

"When have I ever wronged you, Immortal?" he called out. The figure laughed.

"_You have wronged more than you can possibly imagine. It is not you in particular that I speak of, but your entire bloodline. The Rikkison name is stained with bloodshed and treachery. You know nothing of what your ancestors did, what you were always meant to do!" _he replied. Jack shook his head.

"I pity you. You are so blinded by your hatred of the past that you think you must kill for it in the present! The people you want to strike down today, they are husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, cousins, family, and friends! If you do this thing today, then you can not consider yourself any different than those who wronged you!" he yelled angrily. The figure smiled.

"_Don't you see yet? I care nothing for my own name. I have already lost everything because of those bearing yours! Forget the darkness! It is the light you must face today, Rikkison!"_ he yelled, summoning a Keyblade. The Keyblade once held a bright and radiant light. It used to have a bright blue blade with a golden handle, but after years of thirst for vengeance and bloodshed, the light of the blade had grown dark. The colors had faded into a more ominous gray, and despite him boasting of the light, it seemed that darkness had leaked onto its blade, for it was stained black, but the original colors could still be seen leaking through at some points.

"So you seek to exterminate the Keyblade wielders, and yet you are one yourself!" Terra yelled at him. The figure turned to him. **(Black Blade, Two Steps from Hell)**

"_You could have been spared this fate, you and the rest, but you chose to stand by this….abomination. You each have sealed your own fates!"_ he roared, charging.

Jack summoned his blade, as did all behind him but Mist, who charged her fist with magic. "For the realm of Light!" he roared, charging to meet the figure.

Those behind him echoed his words and charged. With a war cry from both combatants, Jack leaped into the air and crashed down, his blade meeting the immortal's with a clang that echoed across the plain. He flipped over and landed behind him, slicing across his back. The immortal grunted, but quickly aimed a kick that sent Jack flying. As he turned toward the fallen wanderer, he felt a powerful Thunder spell strike him in the back. He turned to find Mist with a furious expression, her hand poised and ready to cast again. He smiled as he stepped toward her.

Suddenly, he was kicked in the chin by Terra, who thrust his knee upward, sending the immortal staggering back. "Take this!" he yelled as he brought his blade across the bigger man's legs and shoulder-bashed him in the gut. The figure quickly picked Terra up. Wrapping his arms around him, he began to squeeze with all his might.

"Terra!" screamed Aqua as she sent a screen of ice under the villain's feet. He toppled onto his back, letting Terra dash away, out of his reach. Aqua ran forward.

"Kairi, Lea, Jack, Riku, Mist, now!" she screamed. Jack leaped onto his feet and cast an extremely powerful Light spell hurling towards the villain. At the same time, Aqua cast her most powerful Thunder spell, Kairi cast her most powerful Blizzard spell, Riku cast a dark spell, Lea began to glow red and orange and unleashed a wave of Fire spells. Finally, Mist cast an Earth spell. Terra, Ven, Roxas, and Xion threw their Keyblades while the villain tried to cover his face from all the attacks.

With a groan, he fell onto his face as the spells stopped. **(end Black Blade)**

"Did we beat him?" Kairi asked, panting.

"Don't count on it." Jack told her, holding his blade ready. The villain leaped back to his feet and laughed loudly.

"_Indeed you are all powerful. But, my patience has come to an end. It is time for you to be destroyed!"_ he yelled, sending a shockwave in all directions. Everyone fell backwards except Xion, who flipped in the air and landed on her feet. With a yell, she charged at him. She swung her blade toward his face, but he caught it in his hand. With an evil smirk, he crushed her Keyblade into pieces. She staggered backwards, shocked by this. **(Jack's Theme 2{Revealed Truth, Final Fantasy X})**

The next thing everyone saw was him thrusting his Keyblade through her stomach. "Xion!" they screamed.

Xion gasped in shock and struggled to breathe. He pulled his blade out, still smirking, and she crumpled to the ground. "No…." Roxas muttered. He looked at Lea, and both had furious expressions. Before anyone else could get to their feet, the two charged in blind fury. Roxas ran at the villain, dragging his blades across the ground, creating sparks.

Lea leaped into the air and prepared to cast a Fire spell while Roxas threw Oblivion at the man. With another smirk, the villain deflected the Keyblade, which bounced off and hit Lea in the face. At the same time, he blocked Oathkeeper and twisted Roxas' wrist, making his own Keyblade impale him in the stomach.

"Roxas!" yelled the others as they finally staggered to their feet. Roxas looked around at them in surprise as he fell to the ground. Lea jumped to his feet again and threw his arms out toward the villain.

"NOOO!" he roared, shooting a wave of super nova Fire at the murderer. Holding up his Keyblade, the man blocked the spell. Lea gasped as the man cast Reflect.

"Lea!" they screamed as the redhead flew back, hit by his own spell. His Keyblade flew through the air and stuck into the ground next to Oblivion.

Jack, Sora, Terra, Riku, Ven, Kairi, Aqua, and Mist formed a circle around the immortal. "Who are you!?" Jack screamed in rage. The villain laughed evilly as he wiped the blood off of his blade.

"Just call me Lorans. It is the last name you will hear on this earth." he told Jack hungrily. With a yell, Jack charged.** (end Jack's Theme 2)**

**(Master of Darkness, Two Steps from Hell)**

He clashed blades with Lorans and fought with more rage than he ever had before. He had just witnessed this man kill three of his friends, and he had done so as easily as killing a Shadow Heartless! This man was a threat to the entire universe. "I will kill you." Jack told him. Lorans smiled at him.

"Good. Give me a challenge before you die, Wanderer." he replied.

"I'm no longer a wanderer!" Jack yelled as he threw his Keyblade. Lorans batted it away as Jack charged empty-handed. He ran up and punched Lorans hard enough to make him stagger. He spin-kicked his Keyblade out of his hand and jumped in the air. He front-flipped, kicking Lorans in the head with both feet as he landed. The bigger man slammed into the ground face-first. Jack curled his fist for another punch, but Lorans grabbed his foot and began to spin him. He let go, and Jack went flying, colliding with Terra and Sora, who were coming to help him.

"This ends now!" Aqua yelled as she began to teleport. She appeared in many different places at once, constantly attacking Lorans. He took many blows, but he grew smart. He whirled around and grabbed the air, but Aqua teleported right into his hand. He held her there, his fist curled around her throat.

"Aqua!" Terra yelled in fear. She reached her hand toward him.

"Terra…I love you." she whispered as Lorans closed his fist instantly. Dropping her to the ground, he turned back to the remaining fighters.

Terra and Sora charged angrily. As Terra began to glow with darkness and jumped into the ground, Lorans kicked Sora backward and threw his Keyblade at him. "Sora!" Sora heard someone scream and he saw something pink jump in the way.

"Kairi, no!" he screamed. Kairi looked at him and smiled, and then looked down at the Keyblade protruding from her chest. "NO!" Sora screamed as his wife fell into his arms. She struggled to breathe.

"Sora, I….I'm sorry." she whispered to him. He shook his head.

"Shh, Kairi, it's okay." he whispered back. She smiled.

"At least I….gave my life for a good purpose. I'll be waiting for you…..on the other side…." she muttered as her breath finally left her. Sora gently laid her on the ground as Lorans called his Keyblade back to his hand.

"Who's left?" he asked, smirking evilly. Terra appeared out of the ground behind him and ran him through with Ends of the Earth. Lorans gasped for a second, but smirked again as he twirled his blade around and ran it through his own stomach. Since Terra was pressed up against him, it impaled them both. The look of rage left Terra's face, to be replaced by a more tired one as Lorans drew the blade out and let him fall to the ground. He wiped the blood off of his robe, showing no sign of injury.

"Terra!" screamed Jack and Ven. Riku ran in front of Sora.

"We have to stop him here!" he yelled, channeling a wave of darkness through his arms. Lorans shook his head in empathy as he blocked the attack with his arms.

"Haven't you fought darkness enough to know that Light always surpasses it?" he asked lazily. Riku stopped for a second.

"What are you talking about?!" he exclaimed. Lorans flicked his wrist, and a wave of light instantly overcame the dark spell and sent Riku flying. He crashed into the wall, where he slid to the ground. Way to the Dawn landed and stuck in the ground a few feet away from his body.

Sora, Ven, Jack, and Mist were all that was left now. Jack summoned his Keyblade to his hand and leaped into the air again. Lorans raised his blade to block him, but at the same time he drew a dagger from within his cloak. Jack saw this at the last second.

Mist made it in time and kicked Lorans in the stomach. He blocked Jack's attack and sent him flying again, before angrily turning to Mist. "No!" Ven yelled as he came landing in from the sky, trying to knock the dagger out of his hand. Lorans glanced at him right before angling the dagger toward the blonde. Ven landed on the dagger, and Lorans left it to sit in his chest. Ven held onto the handle and yanked it out. "Cure…." he muttered, but the spell wouldn't work. Lorans ignored Mist and Sora as he smirked at Ven.

"_I did not come all this way to be undone by simple healing magic." _he told him, but left him to die from the wound as he turned back to Mist. He picked her up by the throat, and she struggled against him. He looked at her for several seconds, although his eyes were hidden, he somehow saw her.

"_Such a pretty face. Maybe your death will finally trigger the warrior within Rikkison." _he told her evilly.

As Jack jumped to his feet again, he looked just in time to see Lorans impale Mist through the chest. Time seemed to slow to a halt, and he felt very dizzy. Over everything that had happened, this sent him over the edge. "Jack….." Mist muttered as she slid to the ground.

"MIST!" Jack roared as darkness exploded around him. Darkness that had so long been submerged that he had forgotten it was there. As Sora, the last survivor, was felled, Jack became nothing more than a being full of rage and darkness.

"Lorans!" he screamed in fury. Lorans smiled in anticipation.

"_Come, Rikkison, and have your final duel!" _he yelled. Jack roared as he flew through the air toward the villain. As he neared, Lorans smiled. _"This battle is over." _he said as they collided. **(end Master of Darkness)**

Lorans flew back several hundred yards and landed on his side, Wanderer's Judgment impaled through his stomach. Jack had summoned his dark claw, too, it seemed, because Lorans how had five claw marks across his face that wouldn't heal. He smiled as he looked over at where Jack lay, next to his fallen wife, Lorans' Keyblade pierced through his chest.

Jack Rikkison was dead along with the rest of the heroes.

**Definitely the longest chapter I've ever written! Needless to say, this chapter even made me depressed, so I can just imagine how you guys feel. Well, leave me a review. I daresay I've earned it, considering it took over three hours to write this, check it, and post it. Night, everyone!**


	4. Ch 4: Choosing One's Path

**That was the saddest chapter I have ever written! Let's get to the shout outs!**

**13TheAce: Why? Lorans told you! He blames the Rikkisons for the losses sustained in the Keyblade War. Yeah, that's how powerful he is.**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: While I agree with you, they were all at least thirty, lol. **

**AngelicWinds: You don't even stop to consider why he did it! But you're right, lol. **

**Celeron96: It's still KH, I didn't want to make it TOO brutal. I was going to have a big epic fight between dark Jack and Lorans, but in the end I decided against it since the whole fight had already taken up 3000 words. Besides, it will work in the end because that proves even Dark Jack(who was supposed to be the most powerful) couldn't beat him.**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, thanks! Remind me not to have you put Jack in Unending, lol. I deliberately didn't show the deaths of two people in the group, so there you go. I'm using that song in a later heart-wrenching scene! You'll just have to wait and see!**

**TheEighthLight: Very, lol.**

**Let's get through this chapter, alright? I'm sure you have a good idea of what's coming in this one…**

**You know what I, AW, and TEL own!**

Chapter 4: Choosing One's Path

LAND OF DEPARTURE…..

Eraqus had been awake all night. He could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance that he knew was the LE's fight against Lorans. He heard several crashes of thunder, and knew that each one meant a warrior felled. At last, with a final, devastating lightning bolt that flashed across the sky, all went silent. The old master leaned his head forward against the window and wept. "What time has been cursed upon us, that the apprentices die and the old masters linger?" he whispered to himself, thinking of his now dead apprentices. No, his children.

It was then that he heard something crash against the world's boundaries. His eyes widened in shock as the shield surrounding the world began to be bombarded with meteors. "No! How could he have found us already!?" he exclaimed. He whirled around to find his three apprentices already out of bed, waiting for his orders. "Into the basement, go!" he yelled.

Without hesitation, they ran for the master's bedroom. They opened the door behind where the headboard and bed should be and quickly rushed down the stairs. Eraqus closed the door behind him and ran down to meet them. "He's here." he told them. Pierce looked at Ava and Griffin in alarm, and they both returned his look.

"What do we do, master?" he asked Eraqus. Eraqus held his Keyblade up and began to glow with light. A portal of light appeared behind where they were standing.

"Go through, now!" he ordered as they heard the front doors to the castle being knocked off their hinges. "GO!" he roared more urgently. Ava urged Griffin through first, and tried to grab Pierce's hand, but he stepped back.

"Go ahead, I'll be right behind you!" he told her. She hesitated, but nodded and stepped through. "What about you, Master?" he turned to Eraqus.

"I will hold him off long enough for the portal to close and lose your trail, now go, Pierce! This is up to you now!" Eraqus told him, standing ready facing the door. Pierce shook his head, summoning his unnamed Keyblade to his hand.

"No, I want to fight with you!" he argued. Eraqus sighed as he turned around. He picked Pierce up by the collar of his shirt and threw him into the portal.

"Master Eraqus!" Pierce yelled as he fell through. The portal closed behind him just as the door slammed open and Lorans walked into the room.

"_The old fool, how ironic that you are the last of my main targets to fall. Your time has come. Your age is over." _he informed Eraqus, who held his Keyblade ready in determination.

"All you have accomplished is murder, Lorans! The worlds will know what you've done, and they will stop you!" he yelled back. Lorans smiled.

"_Fool. The worlds already belong to me. They look to me as their supreme leader. I have the entire LE under compromise when I show my evidence of their corruption tomorrow. I am the worlds, Eraqus. Any survivors will be hunted down across the worlds and….exterminated. Make no mistake, I am fully aware of the children of Jack. I will exterminate the vermin just like I did their outcast of a father." _Lorans told him, holding his arms out. Although Eraqus moved to attack, the bigger man unleashed a crushing wave of lightning that electrocuted him instantly.

The old master screamed in pain for several seconds, before falling to the floor with a final gasp. Lorans smirked. _"All too easy, as I knew it would be."_ he told himself. With a flick of his cloak, he was gone.

LATER…..

"Pierce…..!" he heard her voice. "Pierce! Wake up, we need you!" she told him more urgently.

"Ava….?" he asked, as he felt consciousness coming to him.

"I hope you're done sleeping, because we need to get off these shores. We're sitting ducks out here." Griffin said from a few feet away. Pierce clutched his head and slowly stood to his feet.

"Where are…..we?" he slowly spoke, but even before he finished the sentence, he knew. They were on Destiny Islands. "What happened while I was out?" he asked them.

"They issued a world-wide alert for us three. Apparently, we're to be delivered to supreme ruler Lorans Antismo on sight. We have to find somewhere to hide." Ava told him, grabbing his arm and putting it over her shoulder to help him walk since he seemed unstable.

Suddenly, a figure in a black cloak approached them. They could see the person discreetly walking down the shore. When they approached, Ava and Griffin summoned their Keyblades. Pierce was too dizzy to focus on anything. He had hit his head on a rock, according to Ava. "Follow me. We need to hurry." the figure said. It was female.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Griffin asked her warily, not lowering his Keyblade. The figure slowly reached up and lowered her hood.

"Rayne….?" Pierce spoke. His older sister turned to him and immediately went to help Ava with him.

"We have to get off the streets. I'm following my father's last orders and taking you to the only safe place on this world." Rayne told them. She and Ava helped Pierce walk down the beach, trying to stay in the shadows. Griffin followed a few steps behind, his Keyblade at the ready.

THE RIKKISON HOUSE, DESTINY ISLANDS…

"Are you sure this place is safe? Wouldn't our house be the first place Lorans would look?" Pierce asked his sister. Rayne gave him a small smile as she touched a random part of the wall. A hidden door opened up, leading underground.

"Trust me, Dad knew what he was doing when he built this place." she replied, smiling. They quickly went inside, and Rayne shut the door behind them. "Fire." she muttered. Torches along the walls blazed to life, lighting the way. They continued down the stone hallway for several minutes, until it branched off into two separate paths.

"What now?" Ava asked her. Rayne looked at the paths.

"Ava, you and Griffin take the right one. I'll join you shortly, but there's something I have to show Pierce down the left one." she told them. All three looked at her questioningly, but she grabbed Pierce's arm more firmly and began to walk down the left path, leaving Griffin and Ava to take the right one alone.

"What's down here?" Pierce asked his sister as they neared a room.

"Something that Dad left for you." she told him simply. By now, he could walk on his own, so she just guided him. They walked into the room which was a tall and long room. At the end was a big wardrobe made of wood. As he began to walk toward it, Rayne put a hand on his chest, stopping him. "He wanted you to see this first." she told him, handing him a recording device of some kind. She gave him a small smile and left the room.

He stared at the small black device for several moments, before setting it on the floor. In a blinding flash, blue light began to fill the room, and standing before Pierce was a blue projection of his father, Jack. **(Roxas' Theme, Kingdom Hearts 2)**

"D….Dad?" Pierce asked in disbelief. The projection of Jack smiled.

"_Pierce, the first thing I want to say right now is that I can neither here or see you standing before me. This is only a recording. There is so much I need to say to you, so much I still wanted to show you, but it seems my time in this life is nearing its end. I know you have only begun to master the Keyblade, but I'm afraid I must place the heaviest burdens on you, son. For my entire life, I carried the burdens of those around me on my shoulders. I did not want this life for you. I wanted to be there, to protect you from this life, and to show you the way to a better one waiting just out of reach. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. I wasn't equipped to be the father you needed me to be. I spent my whole life on the battlefield, and I didn't know what else to do. I failed you, Pierce, and I failed the worlds. I fought Xehanort and won. I led the forces of light in the final war. I guess it wasn't so final, after all. I guess I just thought that there would be more time. I'm sorry, Pierce." _the projection of Jack said. Through this whole thing, he had his battle gear on, his second outfit that he had on when he died. Tears were falling silently down his face, mirrored by those falling down Pierce's face. Jack looked up bravely again.

"_By the time you see this, I'll already be gone. The enemy we face today is very different from any we've faced before. Even with all of the LE together, I know we head to certain death. My only advice to you, my son, is this: Do not let anyone else control your destiny. You are not your father, nor should you ever be compared to him. I never wanted for you to have to bear my shadow. You have to know that, Pierce. I blame myself for this fool's thinking he must destroy everything we hold dear. Pierce, there is something I need to tell you." _he continued. Pierce nodded, forgetting that Jack couldn't see him.

"_For most of my life, I was known only as a wanderer, an outcast. I finally thought I shook that off, but I couldn't have been more wrong. The worlds always need a wanderer. For in the wanderer, they can see the glory of all those fighting for what they believe in. You will lead the way in the fight for the next generation, and you will succeed. You're my son, Pierce, and I believe in you. I will never leave your side. I'm always with you, son. You just have to call on me, and I'll be there, that I promise. That's all I have to say, Pierce. It's time to grow up and pick up the Keyblade. You are my legacy, Pierce. There is no one in the world that I am more proud of than you, and your sister. You may think you're alone, but you're far from it. There is one master still alive who can teach you to master your blade. Find your uncle, for he is the last master besides Mickey who can help you. Open the wardrobe, and embrace who you will become, Pierce. I love you son, and I am always with you." _the projection finished. **(end Roxas' Theme)** It went blurry for a second and then shut off, ending the projection of Jack. Pierce took several moments to compose himself. Wiping the tears off his face, he slowly began to walk toward the wardrobe, wondering what his father had left him. **(White Blood, Metal Gear Solid 4)**

He crossed the room, breathing deeply. He now knew that his father was truly dead. But he would avenge him. Lorans would pay. That is what he resolved as he slowly opened the wardrobe doors.

Inside the wardrobe was a mannequin, but only the upper body. On the doll was a black shirt with a hood, and a black vest. Pierce nearly began to cry again. "Dad….." he whispered as he took the shirt and vest out and slowly put them on. He flexed his hands in the black fingerless gloves and situated the black long sleeve shirt. Finally, he put on the black vest over it and slowly zipped it up. The vest was modified in the back to allow room for the hood.

Pierce's face hardened as he silently put the hood on over his face. _"The worlds need a wanderer." _his father's final words echoed through his mind as he turned for the door, now adorned with the remnant of his father's heirlooms. His natural camo pants were white and black, as opposed to his father's original green, but in all other ways he looked the part. He was his father's legacy. He was the new wanderer, and this was the path he'd chosen. **(end White Blood)**

DOWN THE RIGHT PATH….

"You like her?" Rayne asked the two as they walked up to the gummi ship.

"Where'd you get her?" Griffin asked her, running his hands along the soft material of the outside.

"Present from Mickey, a thank you present for all the sacrifices my dad made during the war against my uncle." she explained. It was then that Pierce walked into the room, adorned in his father's hood and vest. Rayne, who was 29 years old, remembered her father wearing those and gasped.

"How do I look?" he asked her hollowly. She smiled, seeing that despite the brown hair that matched Jack's, his green eyes reflected their mother's.

"You look like you, as you should." she told him. He smiled at her.

"Pierce, you look good in that outfit!" Ava called out, but quickly caught herself. Blushing furiously, she ran inside the ship. Rayne smiled in amusement.

"Alright, let's board and get outta here." she told the two boys. Griffin nodded and walked inside. Pierce smirked as he walked past her.

"You sure you can drive this thing, old lady?" he asked her cheekily. She smiled in amusement at his comment and smacked him playfully in the back of the head.

"I'll show you 'old lady.' And yeah, of course I can drive it! I built it!" she told him, smiling back.

**Alright, hope you liked the Jack and Pierce scene. I'm heading to bed, see ya!**


	5. Ch 5: Traitors

**Hey, guys! Sorry, no updates tomorrow or Saturday because I won't be home, but I hope you like this chapter! Shout outs:**

**13TheAce: Yep, and yep! It could be PiercexAva, or it could be neither. The romance will get much more complicated once the whole party comes in. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Dang, that's pretty bad, dude. It was a mix between that and DA Origins, actually. Right now, yeah I am! Nope! You know it's gotta be more complicated than that! You won't be disappointed!**

**AngelicWinds: Yeah I read it, hilarious, lol! Hey, everyone cries sometimes, even if they won't admit it! **

**Celeron96: Thanks! That's because right now the full shock still hasn't hit Pierce. Rayne knew ahead of time and at least got to say goodbye. He does, I just haven't had a chance to give Griffin a lot of dialogue. There will be, don't worry! And that's something I'll leave up to you guys.**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, I'm glad you think so! He will be. I definitely already miss writing for him, since he is so much like me. What's ironic is that I'm going to an audition this weekend to try out for a role that is a teenage male secret agent named Jack, O.o, lol.**

**Alright, you know what I own, and you who Ava and Griffin belong to!**

Chapter 5: Traitors

LANES BETWEEN, RAYNE'S GUMMI SHIP…

"So where are we going, Rayne?" Pierce asked his sister as she piloted the ship through the cosmos. She didn't answer right away.

"We need to figure out what's going on. I have no idea why the Council of Sovereigns would declare us traitors and issue us death warrants." she replied, thinking hard. Pierce looked over at Ava and Griffin, who were staring at him, at a loss for words.

"It's Lorans. I don't know how he did it, but he's turned everyone against us. It's amazing how quick that they forget everything Dad and the others did for them." he said, shaking his head, not knowing what to do. "If Dad were here, he'd know what to do. If I was more like Dad, then we would…." he began, but Ava cut him off.

"You're not your dad, Pierce. How many times did you tell you that you hated being stuck in his shadow? He's given you a chance to show that you don't need him or anyone to tell you what to do! You need to be you." she told him in irritation. He sighed, knowing she was right. "You know I'm right." she rubbed it in, raising her eyebrows at him. He looked at the floor before turning back to his sister.

"So where should we go?" he asked her, deliberately changing the subject. Rayne opened her mouth to speak, but someone else spoke first.

"We need to go to Radiant Garden. The Council of Sovereigns is meeting today, and they'll make their normal big announcements. We can find out exactly where we stand." Griffin told them from his seat against the wall. Rayne raised her eyebrows and nodded.

"I'd say that's a plan." she told the other two. Pierce looked over at Griffin and smiled. The younger boy shrugged his shoulders, but his expression showed that he was pleased to be noticed.

"Before we land on any world, we need disguises. We stick out like, well, like armored Keyblade wielders." Ava persisted. Rayne nodded.

"I know just the guy. We'll go see him, and that way I can talk to Leon, too." she assured them.

RADIANT GARDEN, THE BURROUGH…

Pierce peered around the corner, checking to see if the coast was clear to make it to the house on the other side of the street. His hood was up, but the black vest and hood pretty much labeled him as a Rikkison, so it didn't help much. Rayne had her black cloak wrapped around her, and her hood covered most of her face. Griffin and Ava merely tried to look inconspicuous. "I'll go first and make sure we're clear." Rayne told them. Without another word, she swiftly crossed the street and rapped on the door a few times.

After a couple dozen seconds, someone opened the door, and she gestured for them to follow her. They quickly and silently crossed the street, aware of the eyes they were drawing from passersby.

Closing the door behind them, Pierce put back his hood as his sister tightly hugged a man in a leather jacket. His brown hair reached to his shoulders, and while signs of age could be seen across his once youthful face, the man Rayne knew as Leon looked no worse for wear. "I did what I could, Rayne, but when they targeted the world due to previous connections with all members of the LE, I had to step down. I didn't even know about the attack until they issued the warrants for you and the other "surviving traitors." Leon told her sincerely. Rayne nodded in understanding.

"Well, I lost both of my parents, but I'm lucky to still have my baby brother alive and well." she replied, gesturing to Pierce. Leon smiled and looked over as Pierce walked up to him. They shook each other's hands while Leon looked him up and down.

"So old Jack passed the mantle after all, huh? He was a good man. He saved my life many times, just as he did Sora and all the rest. You've definitely got the look down." he complimented.

"Thanks. I'm doing what my father wanted me to do. I'm taking his place as the wanderer." he replied. Leon nodded in understanding. He turned to the silent Ava and Griffin.

"The other apprentices, I'm guessing?" he asked them. Ava nodded and walked up to him, holding out her hand.

"I'm Ava. Former apprentice to Master Ven." she told him. Leon shook her hand as Griffin slowly came up.

"And I'm Griffin, son of Master Lea, and former apprentice of Master Terra." he introduced himself. Leon shook his hand.

"So this is the whole crew? I thought there'd be more of you. These aren't all the warrants out right now." he asked Rayne. She shook her head.

"We know my parents, Terra, Aqua, Lea, Roxas, Riku, Xion, Jason, and Eraqus were eliminated. Any word on the others?" she asked him. Leon sighed.

"We've heard nothing about Ven and Sora. They're presumed dead along with the rest. Marek went AWOL right before all this went down. He took Soriah with him. Mickey, for the sake of his kingdom, renounced his Keyblade and allowed the Council to shatter it. That's it. So other than Marek, you guys are what's left of the Keybladers." he explained.

"So Marek's alive?" Pierce asked him. Leon nodded.

"They haven't taken down the warrant for him, so I'm assuming so." he told him.

"Leon, we need to get into the courtroom and figure out why the Council is doing this. We need disguises." Rayne interrupted. Leon looked at her and smiled.

"Well, I can't help you with that." he told her, smirking.

"But, by golly, I can!" exclaimed Merlin(the Disney version of him) as he appeared in the room in a puff of smoke.

"Is that the wizard Merlin?!" Ava and Griffin exclaimed like kids. Merlin smiled.

"The one and the same." he told them.

"You haven't aged a day." Rayne told him. He laughed for several moments and sighed.

"I remember when you were just a little thing, Rayne. So like your father in youth, but now, so like your mother. Quiet and reserved. Of course, your father was like that, too, but never when others were in danger. He was a hot-head, but he was a good man. It was a great blow to us all, most definitely, the losses we've had in the last few days…." he trailed off. Rayne nodded slowly, her eyes beginning to water. "Right then. What's this about needed disguises?" Merlin quickly changed the subject.

A FEW HOURS LATER….

"Now, these passes will get you into the courtroom, but they don't exempt you from the security check. Do not mess with your disguises at all, or you will be compromised. Best of luck to you." Merlin told the four of them as they headed for the door.

"Lay low. If you get caught, there's very little we can do. They're even blocking most of Merlin's magic now." Leon told them as they left the house.

They quickly headed for the castle high up above the postern. There was a great crowd of people heading the same way, so they blended in easily. It wasn't long before they reached the security checkpoint. "Security check! All hoods off when you reach the counter!" yelled a burly guard standing sentinel just inside the gates.

"What now, Pierce?" Ava asked him as they all pulled their hoods down. He glanced back at her for a split second.

"Just relax. We'll get through this." he told her, putting a black hat on his head. She sighed as she pushed her brown colored hair off of her shoulder. Griffin didn't like having his hair laying flat on his head, but it made him much more discreet. Rayne had a pair of eyeglasses on and color changing contacts, making her eyes appear blue instead of the iconic hazel of her and her father.

"Next!" another guard yelled, gesturing Rayne through the security fence. She stepped through calmly and waited for a few seconds. The alarms suddenly went off, and guards quickly swarmed her. "We detected a small metallic object on her!" one exclaimed. She sighed and shook her head. She reached just inside her shirt and pulled out a necklace with a blue crystal that looked like a water drop on it. The guards quickly stood down and backed away. "Our apologies, Ma'am!" the guard at the counter said. She nodded in understanding and walked inside, where she branched off from the crowd and waited for the others.

Ava walked through, and the whole time, the guard kept staring at her in a fond way. Pierce suddenly felt the urge to go punch him in the face, and was surprised by this. He returned to his senses as Griffin went through and they waved him through. He walked forward and set his hat down on the counter. He stepped through the fence, and waited. "You're all clear." the guard said after a minute. Pierce smiled and began to walk away, but saw the guard looking at him clearly. He cursed under his breath when he heard the guard speak again. "Hey, you!" he yelled. Pierce was already halfway to the doors when they called him. The guard came walking quickly over, a serious expression on his face.

"Can I help you?" Pierce asked him, trying to sound calm. The guard sighed for a moment, before holding out his hat.

"You forgot this on the counter." he explained. Pierce took it with a nod of appreciation and walked inside.

COUNCIL COURTROOM….

The four found seats in the middle of the large courtroom and took seats not in plain view. The Council of Sovereigns, consisting of seven absolute rulers, sat at the front of the room on a long straight panel. The top seat, elevated above the others, was currently empty. "All rise, supreme Council member Antismo enters the room." said someone out of sight. Rayne had to grab onto Pierce's wrist firmly in order to stop him from doing anything as the cloaked man they knew as Lorans walked into the room. Everyone bowed and applauded him, and this disgusted them.

"We are gathered here today to discuss the events of the past four days, and to determine whether the personal actions of ruler Antismo were above reproach, or not." began an old white haired man sitting toward the middle of the panel. He had a red and black robe on filled with weird symbols. Lorans took his seat above the others, obviously the supreme ruler of the supreme rulers.

"My actions, Maester Mika, were decided upon by evidence that I discovered….of treachery within the Light's Enforcers organization. That agency was a wild card from the second we allowed it spawned, and when I discovered that they were using illegal means to suit their own gain, I knew I could not wait for a court and a trial. If I hadn't stopped them when I did, they would have betrayed us all again, as they had many times over!" he echoed throughout the courtroom.

"Lies…." Pierce whispered firmly. Ava grabbed his left wrist, and Rayne grabbed his right, but they still struggled to keep him in his seat. Many people around them turned at the disturbance.

"And what do the other members of the Council decide?" Mika asked the five sitting around him. Three stood up and as one, declared, "We support supreme leader Lorans in his decisive preemptive strike." The other two, stood up and said, "Lorans must be held to trial on accounts of murder and violation of law."

By a majority's vote, Lorans won the trial. Lorans, with a smile, leaned against the back of his chair. "As my first order as supreme leader of the Council of Sovereigns, I order our guards to arrest the four traitors sitting in this room! Two are children of the leader of the LE, Jack Rikkison!" he bellowed. **(The Threat, Dissidia 012)**

The four leaped to their feet, shedding their disguises. Ava and Griffin summoned their Keyblade armor. Rayne summoned Equilibrium, and Pierce tore off his gray shirt, allowing the black vest and hood show.

"We are not the traitors, Lorans! You are!" he yelled. Lorans smiled as Mika rose to his feet.

"Heretics! Seize them!" he declared. Countless guards moved around the room to trap them in while the crowds fled out the doors. But while the crowd scatters, a single figure in a long white and blue robe stood in between the guards and the Keyblade wielders. He held a lance in his left hand, and he looked at the panel of leaders.

"You!" Rayne exclaimed in shock.

"I should have known. Another traitor stands before me." Lorans muttered as he stood up and walked down to the ground. The figure held his lance out as Mika shook his head in shock.

"Heretic! Pray to Yevon for mercy and atone!" he yelled at the figure. He shook his head, throwing off his robe.

He had dark purple armor that was draconian in look and texture. He twirled his lance around him as he looked back at Mika. "Deliver your prayers to heaven. I answer to no man!" he declared.

"Kain, what are you doing?!" Rayne yelled, but he shook his head.

"I'll hold them here. Get out now or all will be lost. When I'm through with them, I'll follow behind." he told her. She hesitated.

"Are you sure?" Pierce asked him. He nodded.

"I can hold my own." he replied, turning back to the guards and Lorans.

"So you choose to die here to give your friends a few more moments on this earth." Lorans said smirking. Kain stared at him calmly.

"I had other plans. You're mistaken if you think these pawns can defeat me. I fight for what I believe in, Lorans. You just fight for your own gain!" he replied as he readied for battle. **(end the Threat)**

**Well, hope you enjoyed it! See ya Sunday!**


	6. Ch 6: The Dragoon

**I'm back! I'll be back in school tomorrow, so I don't know how often the updates will be after this. Well, congratulations, you've officially made me forget all my other stories for now, lol. I'm not even thinking about Dissidia right now! Anyway, shout outs:**

**Celeron96: Really? Lol, I thought it'd be obvious! She's considered dead along with any others that they aren't sure about. Lol, I know, right?**

**The Unknowing Herald: I agree 100 percent, lol. We will, I'll just have to work really hard with it since it's been so long since I've touched FFIV. I can't even remember, does that happen in IV or the After Years? **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, I'm sure you'll feel that way for a while. I tried!**

**13TheAce: That's the spirit, lol.**

**AngelicWinds: Great idea? I could totally make that work! Me too!**

**Alright, I own nothing but Pierce, Rayne, Lorans, Marek, Jack, Mist, and Jason. Gosh that's a lot, lol! I don't own Ava or Griffin. They belong to their respective owners.**

Chapter 6: The Dragoon

Kain looked around at the seven leaders and their guards scattered around the room. Lorans pointed at Kain. "This traitor is a perfect example of why we need to implement my new security measures! Who stands with me!?" he declared, looking at the six other leaders. Mika was the first to respond.

"Spira stands with you, Lorans. All hail Yevon!" he declared. One hooded ruler stood up.

"Camelot stands with the supreme one." said a male voice. He pulled back his hood to reveal the face of Arthur, the same knight who had aided Jack in the final war.

"No…." Kain gasped in disbelief at one of his former comrades. "You cannot believe his lies!" he yelled angrily to Arthur. The young king turned toward the dragoon with a look of pity.

"I trusted you all. I trusted Jack, but there is no denying the facts. Lorans would not do this without cause. I must think of my kingdom." he calmly replied. Kain stared back in calm anger.

"You can't do this, Lorans." he said, turning to the man in the white cloak. Lorans smirked, but it wasn't he who answered. It was another male voice, one of the rulers. He stood up and slowly lowered his hood.

"The Blue Planet stands at your side, as well, Lorans." Cecil emotionlessly said, turning to Kain. "Your time is over. You still dwell in a world that has ceased to exist, old friend. Face it, the time of the Rikkisons and the Keybladers is over. It's time for a new era to begin." he explained. Kain shook his head at his best friend.

"This isn't you, Cecil. I know it isn't! I will free you, I swear it!" he declared as he whirled around and quickly cleared a path out through the guards. Lorans shook his head slowly.

"My fellow rulers." he began, gesturing to his fellows. "Cecil, Arthur, and Mika have taken the vow. What say you three?" he asked the three still covered with hoods. One stood up.

"My friend, do tell us why you chose to kill a princess of heart." he asked rather rudely. Lorans looked toward the man, who was shorter in stature than he.

"Vasey, she had to be made an example of. Think of what the other six would do if they learned that one of their own conspired with the traitorous Keybladers and got away with it. This is merely a strategy that you helped me define." he explained. Vasey laughed quietly as he lowered his hood. He was almost bald, with just a small piece of hair toward the front of his head. He had a small, well-kept white goatee.

"That's good, very good, my lord. You see, I wish to know why I am still just a minor member of this council. I am the…sheriff of Nottingham, after all." he asked slyly, but carefully. Lorans frowned and stared at the shorter man.

"You have not been granted a higher position, Sheriff, because you and your lackey Gisborne still haven't proven capable to deal with Robin Hood and his band of rebels. Bring me Hood's head, and you will have what you desire." he told him, running out of patience. Vasey bowed, furious.

"Of course, my lord. As soon as I return to Nottingham, I'll deal with Hood once and for all. Come, Gisborne, we're leaving." he said to a tall man standing behind him. He had long black hair, and was dressed in black leather.

"Of course, my lord." he said sarcastically as they walked out of the room. Lorans looked at the final two figures. One was a very short figure, and the other was normal height. The taller one stood up first. He lowered his hood to reveal blonde spiky hair.

"Gaia stands with you, Lorans." Cloud told him emotionlessly. The shortest member finally stood and lowered his hood.

"Disney Kingdom also stands with you, Lorans." Mickey replied. As Lorans smiled and began to talk about matters of state, Cloud and Mickey exchanged worried looks.

CAMPSITE…

"We should be safe here, at least for a while." Rayne told them as they dropped to the ground tiredly. Griffin yawned and went to get his tent out of their ship. Rayne smiled at Pierce and went to get the rest of their stuff, leaving him and Ava alone.

"Who was that guy?" she asked him. He smiled.

"That was Kain. He fought in the wars alongside my dad. I always wanted to meet him someday." he told her. She stared at the sky in thought.

"Hard to imagine that only a week ago we were celebrating your birthday with everyone together. Now we're the only ones left." she muttered, turning to him with watering eyes.

"It's best not to think about it." he told her, trying to sound comforting. She shook her head.

"I just keep thinking, that maybe if I had…..been a better apprentice, that my master might still be alive." she told him, suddenly bursting into tears. He sighed and reached out to touch her shoulder, when she suddenly lunged for him, hugging him with a death grip and crying into his chest.

He was taken aback by the sudden gesture. After a few seconds, he wrapped his arms around her and let her cry. "It's alright. I didn't do any more for Riku or my dad than you did for Ven, or Griffin did for Terra or his had. We're all in the same boat, Ava." he said softly. She nodded into his shirt. She slowly looked up, and they met each other's eyes. Slowly, as if planned, they began to gravitate toward each other. Right as they were about to meet, something landed nearby.

In a flash, Pierce was on his feet, Keyblade in hand. At the same time, Rayne appeared around the ship holding Equilibrium. As they raised their blades in defense, someone walked into the campsite, drawn to the fire. "Some welcoming party to the man who just saved you." Kain announced. Everyone dropped their weapons in relief.

"Kain!" Rayne yelled as she ran up and hugged him. He was silent as he touched her shoulder in response. When she let go, he walked up to the fire and sat opposite the group, now joined by Griffin who had finished setting up his tent.

"I'm Pierce, Jack's son." Pierce introduced. Kain nodded.

"I know who you are, all of you. Jack managed to get one last message to me before…..before everything went to hell. He told me to protect the survivors, since I was the only one left that he trusted besides Marek and the other survivor. I haven't been able to find either one, though." he explained.

"Wait, someone else made it out of the fight?" Ava asked. Kain nodded grimly.

"But, I don't know if he's still alive." he told her.

"Who's still alive? Is it my dad?" Griffin asked him slowly, not wanting to get his hopes up. Kain sadly shook his head.

"It's Ven." Rayne spoke up. They looked at her as the dragoon nodded.

"He made it out, but not unscathed. He was pierced in the chest by Lorans' dagger. I've been trying to find him, but he's done a good job of hiding his trail." he explained.

"My master's….alive?" Ava whispered in shock. Kain smiled and nodded.

"Wait, back to what you said before. My father said only you could be trusted of the old crowd? Not even Zack can be trusted?" Rayne questioned. Kain nodded.

"Apparently so. Cloud sits on the Council, and he supports Lorans' actions. I'm sure Zack stands by Cloud, along with the rest of our old friends from their world." he told her.

"Who all sits on the Council?" Pierce asked him. He sighed.

"That is the grim news. I have learned the identities of each member and the world they come from. Lorans is the highest member, but no one knows his home world. Cloud represents Gaia. Mika represents Spira, which bodes ill. Yuna overthrew him almost two decades ago. Since he is back, we can only guess what's happened to that world. Sheriff Vasey is from Nottingham. He's a scheming, greedy man who seeks nothing but personal gain. My friend Cecil also supports Lorans. The reason why is unknown." he told them.

"And the last two?" Ava asked him. Kain sighed and looked directly at Rayne.

"Arthur and Mickey." he told her, knowing what her reaction would be. She gasped in shock.

"No….no…..Arthur….I saved his life! And Mickey, what is he doing? He's a wielder himself! Is he a traitor, too?!" she asked Kain in shock, but the dragoon had no answers.

"I do not honestly believe that Mickey would willingly side with that murderer. He lost just as many friends as we did. Cecil is blinded by something, that I am certain. Arthur can be won to our cause, we just need to speak to Merlin. I believe Cloud is on our side, too. The ones that worry me are Lorans, Mika, and Vasey." he told her. Rayne nodded and slowly stood up.

"I've had enough information for tonight. Can I go to bed, or do I need to take the first watch?" she asked the group. Both Pierce and Griffin stood up to volunteer, but Kain held up his hand.

"No. Get some rest, Rayne. I'll handle the watch." he told her. She gave him a grateful smile and walked toward the ship, where she and Ava would be sleeping. He turned to the three teens. "You three get some sleep, too. Tomorrow, we begin the search for Ven and Marek." he told them. They nodded without argument. Griffin walked to his tent, and Ava slowly stood to her feet. She purposely walked away right in Pierce's line of vision. Being a teenage boy, he glanced in the direction of where the girl he had a possible crush. He didn't know if it was a trick of his vision, but he could have sworn she was swinging her hips more than usual, making her…

He suddenly realized Rayne was watching him from the entrance to the ship. As Ava disappeared inside, his sister raised her eyebrows and shot him a warning glance. She motioned him several different things that he interpreted as this:

"_If I catch you hanging around the ship to look at her, you'll wake up hanging in the air by your ankles, and I'm not letting you down." _

He decided right then and there that now wasn't the time to be thinking about girls. With one last look in Kain's direction, who had turned to watch the woods surrounding them, he crawled into his tent and lay awake for several hours, thinking about everything that had happened throughout the week.

**And so ends the "introductory" section to A New Path, A New Wanderer!**

**I hope you liked it! I'll try to get another chapter up by Wednesday, but I can't make any promises. Alright, well I'm out guys! Don't forget to review!**

**One thing I forgot to add: Sheriff Vasey and Guy of Gisborne are from the t.v. show Robin Hood. It aired on BBC for three seasons and it was one of my all time favorite shows. It's from the same makers as Merlin, so just think about that in a Robin Hood world and that's one of the new worlds you'll be seeing!**


	7. Ch 7: The Search for the Fugitives

**Celeron96: Lol, yes he is, but he's brainwashed! It's not his fault. And yes, he definitely is, lol! Of course I didn't scrap that! And a clue, no! That was a Vasey reference, lol!**

**AngelicWinds: Yep, I like showing the relationship between the two siblings, lol. Yes, he is. Lol, probably!**

**Gohan Roxas: A fellow believer?! High-five, Bud! *reaches up***

**13TheAce: They're under duress. Yep, me too! Lol, they might! But like I said, the romance will start to get more complicated after CHAPTER 10!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: If you haven't seen Merlin, then you wouldn't really understand why Arthur is right now. You'll just have to wait for the group to meet up with young Merlin again.**

**TheEighthLight: Good for you! I hope it goes well! If you want me in it, I'd prefer to wait until you're at a world I know a lot about, though.**

**The Unknowing Herald: So that's why I don't remember that, lol! I never played TAY. Thanks! Arthur's just being Arthur. It has to do with a certain traitor at his court who is present throughout all of season 4, lol. Yes, and I'll say nothing on that matter, lol!**

**Alright. You know what I own! Ava belongs to Angelic, and Griffin belongs to TheEighthLight. **

Chapter 7: Search for the Fugitives

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL OF SOVEREIGNS CHAMBER….

Lorans impatiently sat on his throne, waiting for news. "Well?" he asked Cloud as he walked in. The blonde shook his head.

"The dragoon left no trace. We can't find his trail." he explained. Lorans nodded calmly for a few seconds. He then abruptly slammed his fist down on his armrest angrily and stood to his feet.

"Those fugitives are the last hopes for the LE to rise again! We cannot let them escape!" he roared. Cloud nodded.

"Well, I can't track them alone." he replied. Lorans sighed, and nodded at his fellow council member.

"I thought we were out of a job, Spiky. What gives?" Zack asked as he casually walked into the room. The black-haired Soldier had been called away from his usual post of defending his home world by the Council.

"The supreme one wants us to track the last of the Rikkisons and their friends. He wants them brought before him to be executed." Cloud explained, half turning and locking eyes with his best friend. Zack silently nodded, his expression turned grim.

"I want this done now. I've decided to also send a legion of my Immortals into the Lanes Between to draw them out. I want you two to travel between the worlds that the Council members originate from until you've found them. Am I understood?" Lorans told them, not in the mood to waste any more time. Zack and Cloud silently stood.

"We'll find them as best we can." Cloud promised him. Lorans smiled as he slowly sat back on his throne.

"Good. Proceed." he said simply. Cloud and Zack turned and walked out, left with no other choice but to hunt what remained of their old friends.

THE BLUE PLANET…

A man in a black robe stalked through the shadows of a castle in the city of Baron. This was the same city that Cecil was king over. He walked through the castle unchallenged, all the while heading towards the throne room.

Once he was close enough to the door, he heard voices. "Father, why are you sending me away? What have I done wrong?!" cried Ceodore, son of the king. Cecil held no pity in his once kind eyes.

"You are no son of mine. Leave, now!" he yelled ruthlessly. Ceodore burst through the door in a fury, not knowing what was going on. The man continued to watch the king from the shadows, and his suspicions were confirmed when darkness began to seep out of Cecil's body, covering him in a dark aura.

Golbez angrily stepped away, heading back the way he had come. "I knew it." he muttered. "I knew this was not the brother I once knew. There is only one person who can help Ceodore face the king. I must find Kain. Where is that slippery dragoon?" he asked himself, vanishing with a flick of his cloak.

CAMELOT…..

"Arthur, I need to talk to you." Merlin spoke out as he ran down the castle hallway after his king.

"What is it, Merlin? I'm on my way to meet with the council." Arthur asked impatiently, not stopping his pace. Merlin sighed as he fell into step next to him.

"That's just it. I don't think the Council can be trusted, especially Lorans." he began, but Arthur stopped, staring him in the face.

"Talk like that can get you killed, you know. Why shouldn't I trust the Council? They've never wronged me so far." he asked his servant. Merlin sighed.

"No, it's not you they've wronged. Not yet, anyway." he said pointedly. Arthur sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Merlin, I do not want to go through this argument with you _again_! I know you trusted Jack and Terra. They were my friends, too! But they brought it upon themselves by betraying the Council. My conscience is clear. You'd do best to forget them, Merlin." he told him firmly. Merlin boldly stood his ground and shook his head.

"You didn't believe me when Gaius was kidnapped. You believed Agravaine instead, who said he was a traitor. Agravaine was wrong about Gaius, and he's wrong about the Council, Arthur. Can't you trust me?" he begged the older man. Arthur looked at him furiously as he walked up close to him, his face inches from Merlin's.

"My uncle is not to blame for your foolish friends getting themselves killed. I trust you both with my life, Merlin. Isn't that enough for you?" he seethed through his teeth. Merlin would not back down.

"Don't be so arrogant, Arthur! They were your friends, too! You fought alongside Jack in the war! You were his friend, just as he was yours! Now you're going to let family get in the way of the truth!" he argued angrily, taking his late friends' defense. Arthur stared at him more furiously than he ever had before. When he finally spoke, it was in a dangerous whisper.

"One more word…..and I will send you into exile, _servant_." he whispered angrily. Merlin stopped short at his words, and the king whirled around, heading to meet with the Council.

NOTTINGHAM, SHERWOOD FOREST…

Robin Hood calmly walked back to his camp, but he had never been more alert walking into his home. He had just recently learned that there was a spy in his gang. He found it almost impossible to believe. He trusted every one of them with his life. His best friend, Much. Will Scarlett, the young man he had saved from death. Allan A Dale, the trickster who had always been loyal to him. Little John, the quiet brute of a man who had always fought against the Sheriff. And finally, Djaq, the Saracen woman who had taken up arms with them against the Sheriff. He could not blame any of them without solid evidence. If he blamed the wrong person, then the real traitor would scatter, and the one blamed would leave out of anger. No, there had to be a quieter way to solve this. Robin sighed as he had his gang prepare for a raid.

DISNEY CASTLE…..

Mickey had gone through almost every book in his library, but he had come up empty-handed. He had not found a single book talking about the Keyblade War or this Lorans who had appeared out of nowhere. The shock of all the friends he had lost still hit him very often. He would never be able to talk to Aqua, or Riku, or Sora, or Jack. He sighed sadly as he put his book down and left the library.

He walked the short ways to his throne room and went inside. After making sure that he was the only one around, he opened up the Hall of the Cornerstone and slowly walked inside. The Hall hadn't changed much, except for the addition of a secret room. The hidden trapdoor at the foot of the Cornerstone led down to a secret room.

Down in this room was a single bed, food, and medical supplies. "How ya feeling, Ven?" he asked the blonde who was lying on the bed.

Ven sighed deeply and breathed slowly. "I definitely feel better. My chest doesn't hurt as much. Whatever you did, it saved my life, Mickey. Thank you." he told his friend. Mickey smiled.

"Well, gosh, that's what friends do, right?" he replied casually. Ven smiled at him and slowly stood up.

"How long do I have to stay here?" he asked. Mickey stared at him.

"Lorans and the rest of the Council think you're dead. It's best to keep it that way, Ven. I think you should stay here and…." he began, but Ven shook his head.

"Who else survived the massacre?" he asked Mickey. The mouse sighed.

"Besides you, only Marek, Rayne, Pierce, Ava, and Griffin escaped. Marek and Sora are still unaccounted for, though. Last I saw, Rayne, Pierce, and the others had met up with Kain and were on the run." he explained. Ven stared at him silently, as if he had been punched in the gut.

"Terra….Aqua…Jack….Lea? No one made it out?!" he asked, hardly able to breathe. Mickey slowly shook his head. Ven began to cry. He tried to scream, but Mickey put his hand over his mouth.

"Lorans has spies, even in my kingdom. Ven, you must stay quiet until we can move you. I need you tell me exactly how everything happened." Mickey told him. Ven swallowed hard and wiped away his tears.

"Fine, I'll fill you in. But after that, I'm out of here. There's something I still need to do." he replied. The bells began to ring, and Mickey gasped.

"I gotta go. The Council is calling a meeting." he explained, dashing back up the stairs, shutting the trapdoor behind him.

COUNCIL OF SOVEREIGNS CHAMBER, RADIANT GARDEN…..

"Tell us what your agents saw, Mika." Lorans calmly said from the top throne. Mika cleared his throat.

"We have reports of a figure in a black coat traveling through the shadows. But, he never attacks. He only watches and disappears." Mika explained. Arthur stood up.

"My knights report the same thing." he spoke up. Cecil stood.

"As do mine." he said hollowly. The rest murmured in agreement, except for Vasey, who stayed silent. Lorans smirked.

"I knew it was only a matter of time." he chuckled darkly.

"Would you like to share your prattle with the rest of us?!" Vasey demanded rudely. Lorans rolled his eyes and looked over at the Sheriff.

"Can you think of none of our enemies who can traverse the darkness so easily? It's Marek, and he's coming here." he told his fellows. Many gasped.

"Why would he come here?" Arthur asked him curiously. Lorans smirked.

"Because I have the precious cargo he was guarding. I have a captive: Soriah, the son of former LE agent Sora." he announced, smirking evilly.

**We'll be back to the party next chapter. Believe it or not, this chapter was important because it sets up the plot for the next few chapters. Two announcements.**

**Celeron96: Chapter 10, you got that?**

**The Unknowing Herald: Chapter 15, and not before, lol! Alrighty?**

**Alright, guys! I hope you enjoyed it! I don't know if I can update tomorrow, but I promise I'll do my best! **

**Finally, I have a question that I NEED you to add to the end of your reviews:**

**Should I continue with this story as my main, which will incidentally cancel all my other stories for the next several weeks? **

**OR**

**Should I instead go back to working on my other stories. If so, give me the one you want the most.**

**Alright, I'm out! See ya later!**


	8. Ch 8: A Call for Aid

**Hey, guys! Shout outs:**

**AngelicWinds: Lol, you know it! I intend to keep him with a ghost-like aura, though. He just feels that way since he hasn't been seen yet. Don't you agree?**

**Celeron96: Lol, I don't care, but you might want to wait and figure out the rest of his backstory first. Lol, thanks!**

**13TheAce: I think we all do, lol. I wanted to when I figured out he was gonna kill Jack. I'm not told these things. My OCs make this crap up as we go, lol. Marek is gonna try, don't worry.**

**The Unknowing Herald: Pretty much, lol! Me too! Don't worry, he's under duress! Anticipate to your heart's content, lol. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Thanks, and don't worry, I won't.**

**Gohan Roxas: A fellow soul who has seen the best RH version out there! They're few and far between. Glad to have you back, GR!**

**Alright, you know who owns what by now. I don't own KH, FF, or Ava and Griffin.**

Chapter 8: A Call for Aid

After a good night of rest, the five companions were ready to begin their search. "So Kain, where is Marek most likely to be right now?" Rayne asked, sitting pretty close to the dragoon. Kain pretended not to notice as he cleared his throat.

"Your uncle has been traveling silently and swiftly across the worlds. I suspect he is using the darkness to conceal himself. This would explain why no one has seen him traveling the Lanes. I know for a fact that he's been seen in Spira, Camelot, and Baron. I think he's traveling across the worlds of the Council, heading for the capitol of the new order." he explained, drawing lines in the sand to help illustrate Marek's path.

"So, we have to go back to Radiant Garden?" Griffin asked with a slight whine.

"Because it went so well the first time….." Ava muttered sarcastically. Pierce thought for several moments.

"Well, we need to try, at least. It's what my dad wanted me to do, and I'm going with or without you." he told them firmly, standing up and walking away.

"Pierce!" Rayne called out, but he ignored her and walked away from their clearing and into the forest.

He sat down on a fallen tree a few hundred yards in. He tried to hold himself in, but the longer he sat there, the more he had to think. "I wasn't there to save you, Dad. I should have always been there!" he moaned sadly as he began to burst with tears. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'm sorry I failed you." he whispered, choking on his tears.

"_You have failed no one, my son." _whispered a quiet voice. Pierce immediately stopped crying and looked up. He saw nothing but forest in front of him, but he knew he had not imagined the voice.

"Dad?" he called out.

"_I'm here. I never left you, son." _the voice of Jack echoed all around him. Pierce continued to look around him until he finally saw movement. Many blue spheres of light began to float down from the sky toward one spot in the forest. When they all reached the same spot, they formed a body. Standing before Pierce was a translucent image of his dead father, Jack.

"Dad….?" Pierce repeated in disbelief. He began to stumble through the undergrowth, arms held out toward his father, ready to embrace the parent he thought had left him for good.

He didn't expect to fall right through him. Jack sighed. _"I'm sorry, Pierce. My mortal body is gone. My spirit has been formed here, to give you support and guidance." _he explained. Pierce stared at the ghost in disbelief.

"Dad…" he began again. He cleared his throat, speaking more clearly. "Dad, I don't know what I'm doing. I'm no leader. I've only been using the Keyblade for six months. I don't know how to decide where to go or what to do. Please, help me." he begged, sinking to his knees in defeat. Jack smiled sadly at his beloved son.

"_I cannot explain how to be a leader. It is something you are born with, and you will realize it in time, Pierce. I cannot make the decision before you, nor can I choose anything for you. But, I can suggest one thing to you."_he replied. Pierce slowly looked up at him.

"What should I do, Dad?" he asked the ghost. Jack waved his arms, and a cloud with a screen in the middle appeared between his arms. In the screen, Pierce could see a foggy swamp world with what looked like a dark cave entrance.

"_Go to the world that I have shown you. There is a cave there that shows you what is in your heart. For you, it will guide you into making the right decision through me. Retrace the steps I made throughout my own journeys. Learn from me during my time as the Wanderer. Only then can you become your own man and lead the worlds as the last leader of peace, the last Wanderer." _Jack explained to him, and began to fade. Pierce shook his head.

"Father, wait! I don't know how to find this world, or anything! Please, help me! Don't leave me here alone!" he begged. Jack smiled as he began to vanish.

"_My son, you are never alone. There will always be those who arrive to help you, and to show you the way. I am always with you, Pierce. Do not forget that, son." _he whispered, vanishing completely.

He heard footsteps coming from behind, and he wiped his face dry just as Griffin came running into his clearing. "We need you back at camp immediately. And one more thing, Rayne's not happy with you." he warned. Pierce sighed and slowly nodded. He let the younger boy lead the way back.

FUGITIVES' CAMPSITE….

They walked back into the clearing to find Ava waiting for them, and Rayne and Kain standing by the fire pit talking to a man in a back robe. Rayne noticed them and gestured them over. "This is Golbez. He's just arrived from Baron." she introduced. Golbez nodded in their direction, and turned back to Kain.

"You are the only one who Cecil will listen to, Kain. We need you to come back." he finished what he was saying. Kain sighed and looked away.

"I am a part of this group now, Golbez. Where they go, I follow, as per my final promise to Jack before he was slain." he replied. Golbez nodded slowly.

"Then bring them with you. Bahamut knows we can use all we can get. Just please hurry home, Kain. The sooner we remove Cecil from the Council, the better." he told the dragoon. Kain nodded, and Golbez disappeared with a flick of his cloak.

"I think we should head for Baron immediately." Kain told them as soon as he was gone. Rayne shook her head.

"My father's instructions were to locate Marek as soon as possible." she argued. Kain grunted.

"With no solid leads or trails to follow, how do you plan on doing that? We KNOW Baron is in danger. We THINK Marek could be heading for the capitol. We need to think about this rationally." he pushed. He and Rayne began to go back and forth, but Pierce could not stand the fighting and walked into the gummi ship.

Sinking into one of the window chairs, he exhaled deeply, not knowing what to do. "Whatcha doing?" Ava asked him calmly, sitting next to him. Pierce sighed and looked at her.

"I shouldn't be leading, Ava. I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know where we should go, Baron or Radiant Garden. Someone else needs to take over." he told her in defeat. She shook her head patiently.

"Pierce, none of us know what we should do. Yes, if we get Cecil on our side, we have an inside man on the Council. If we find Marek, we have a master who can train us. It's just the first of many hard decisions we'll have to make. Don't let it worry you." she said soothingly, putting a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He listened to her words intently, letting them make him feel better.

"You know, you're right. Thanks, Ava. I needed that." he told her sincerely, giving her a quick hug and walking back out to where the other two were arguing.

"Well?" his sister asked him as he came walking back up.

"I still don't know where we should go. I'm fine with either choice." he replied. Kain sighed, but suddenly looked up.

"I know what to do." he began.

"What?" Rayne asked him, confused. Kain glanced at her.

"Before you were born, Jack, Terra, and myself crash landed on a world called the Crossroads. The sole purpose of that world is to allow individuals to open up to their hearts. Jack did this 15 years ago. I'll take you there, and then you can make the decision." he explained. Pierce thought about this. After several moments, he smiled.

"Sounds like a plan!" he replied. Kain gave him a half smile as Ava came walking out of the ship, looking around.

"Has anyone seen Griffin?" she asked them, somewhat worried.

DISNEY CASTLE…..

Mickey sat opposite Ven in the small hidden room as the blonde recounted the last moments of the LE's agents. "Jason was the first we lost contact with. Terra, Riku, and I were ambushed in the Lanes by the Immortals, and we were pushed back to the Keyblade Graveyard. Soon, Jack arrived with everyone else but Rayne and Marek." he began. Mickey listened intently, not speaking a word.

"With all of us together, we thought we stood a chance. Well, not all of us. Jack knew going in that there would be no hope of victory. We couldn't have been more wrong. Jack had been right from the beginning. It was a slaughter. Xion, Roxas, and Lea fell first. Aqua fell after that. Pretty soon, Kairi, Terra, and Riku were gone too. I remember saving Mist from a dagger, but getting stabbed myself. Mist fell after that, and then I saw him knock Sora to the ground. Jack was the last one standing. He tried to use the darkness to overpower Lorans, but in the end, he was struck down like the rest of them. We never stood a chance, Mickey." Ven told him, breaking down every few words. Mickey's ears drooped in sadness.

"He's more powerful than we thought." he muttered. Ven shook his head.

"That's just it, Mickey. Terra impaled him with his Keyblade, but he showed no signs of injury. Jack stabbed him after that, but still the same. He couldn't die." he explained. Mickey's eyes widened in shock.

"That's impossible! I heard all of the survivors were changed, but this….." he muttered in disbelief. Ven nodded, and slowly stood to his feet.

"Do you have my ride outta here?" he asked the king. Mickey nodded.

"It's in the hanger. Take the back way and go in to the secondary landing platform. It's a small ship, single passenger, but it's stealthy and fast. You'll be out of here before you can blink." he told him. Ven smiled and shook Mickey's hand.

"Thanks, old friend. I hope we see each other again in this life." he thanked him. Mickey smiled.

"Me too, Ven." he replied.

RADIANT GARDEN, CASTLE…

Zack and Cloud walked out onto the long walkway toward their ship. It was pouring rain in the dead of night, and lightning flashed across the sky dangerously. "So do you believe all this crap he's made up about Jack being a traitor?" Zack asked as they walked toward their ship. Cloud shook his head.

"The LE would never have betrayed the realm of light. They spent their entire lives fighting for it. Lorans is the traitor. It's in the survivors that the hope of the new world lies. We have to find them before the army does." he replied. Zack nodded.

Both were so engrossed in their conversation that they failed to notice the black silhouette standing on top of the pillar leading to the castle's second floor windows. In a flash of lightning, he was gone.

**Next chapter we go to an original world, the one seen in early RTDoD chapter A Fork in the Road! Anyone remember this world? **


	9. Ch 9: The Crossroads

**Hey, I hope you're all doing pretty good! Shout outs:**

**13TheAce: Well, I definitely hope so, lol.**

**TheEighthLight: No necessarily….**

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, yeah. I hope it doesn't go too bad! Nope, lol! And alright, I can't wait!**

**Celeron96: Well, they're both being used! Probably, but I didn't intentionally use that. Thanks!**

**AngelicWinds: Lol, well let's hope this chapter helps.**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol. Yep! Lol, thanks!**

**KH doesn't belong to me, nor do Griffin and Ava. Just the Rikkisons and Lorans.**

Chapter 9: The Crossroads

"Keep heading straight. We're almost there." Kain told Rayne. She nodded, piloting the ship toward their destination. Kain turned and walked to the back of the ship, where Pierce was getting ready.

"She's dropping us off in orbit. Once we're on the ground, we're on our own." Kain told him. Pierce nodded as he put on his hooded black shirt.

"Good. This is a two person trip anyway." he replied, zipping up his vest. Kain nodded slightly.

"This world is different from any other you have visited before. Your entire self and purpose will be questioned here. I suggest you be prepared." he advised. Pierce nodded, taking a moment to calm himself, breathing deeply. Ava gestured for Kain to come talk to her.

"You keep him safe." she told him firmly. He nodded.

"I will protect him with my life, you've nothing to fear." he told her calmly. She nodded, walking up front and sitting next to Rayne.

"Prepare for launch." Rayne announced as they neared the world's orbit. Pierce and Kain silently walked to the loading bay and waited. **(Launch, Final Fantasy X) **

"Remember practice. Execute it like such." Kain told him calmly as the loading doors began to open. Rayne flicked several controls while keeping the ship hovered over the world.

"Deploy team ready?" she asked over the intercom.

"Ready to deploy!" Pierce yelled over the noise. Rayne readied her finger on the button that would open the doors all of the way.

"Deploy!" she yelled, opening the doors. Pierce and Kain ran for the opening and leaped out of the ship.

They hurled down toward the world at break-neck speeds. Kain held his stance easily. Pierce watched his companion and mimicked his moves.

As they soared closer to the ground, Kain changed positions. He spun around in the air, his feet toward the ground. Pierce felt the turbulence whipping his face like someone was slapping him over and over. His eyes were watering so much that he could hardly see his landing point.

Kain hit the ground first with a flawless landing. His feet had barely touched the ground when he cast an anti-gravity spell. Pierce fell a bit slower and activated his spell a few seconds too early.

He cast his spell, but the ball he was encased in slammed into the ground. Kain sighed and walked over as Pierce lay on the ground in a daze. "You alright?" he asked. Pierce held his head and glanced over. **(end Launch)**

"Bit of a rocky landing. How'd you perfect it?" he asked, taking Kain's hand, who pulled him to his feet.

"Practice." he replied simply. Pierce laughed and looked around him.

"So this is the Crossroads….." he muttered. The world seemed completely dead and silent. They had landed in the middle of a wide walkway. Tall, ten-foot grass walls held them in on either side. The grass wove into the path behind them, leaving forward the only way to go.

"Yes, I remember so vividly now." Kain muttered as they began walking down the path. Pierce looked up at him.

"Oh yeah, you came here with my father, didn't you?" he asked. Kain nodded.

"And Terra. I was tracking Golbez in the Lanes, and I remember something shooting past me, going after my target. A few seconds after that, Terra pulled up next to me on his rider. That thing that came recklessly shooting past me…..was your father." he said distantly, remembering the day like it had just happened. Pierce raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"My father was reckless? I never would have known." he commented. Kain smiled slightly.

"Well, he wasn't exactly himself when this all happened." he explained.

"What do you mean?" Pierce asked him. Suddenly, Kain stopped walking. They had entered a broad clearing. Burn and scorch marks were all over the ground, and Kain stared at them in a knowing way. Pierce was about to ask him about it, when he suddenly felt a blinding pain in his head. He lurched forward, clutching his head in pain. "Pierce?" Kain asked him, putting a hand out to steady him. Pierce looked up as transparent shapes appeared all over the clearing. **(Ven's Theme, Birth by Sleep)**

"_Golbez, what is it that you seek?" Kain asked. The man in black armor grunted._

"_This world is a prison. It will not allow you to leave until you have chosen what is in your heart." he explained. Jack shook his head in anger, the fury of darkness burning in his now yellow eyes._

"_That's ridiculous!" he yelled angrily as he leaped up toward the sky. He hit an invisible barrier and flew back to the ground with a crash. _

The scene shifted.

"_What do you hope to accomplish, heroes? Illusion has already won this war. I do not wish to fight you. It is far too late for you to win." Golbez told the three men. Terra tried to stop Jack as the wanderer charged. Golbez was gone before he got there. In his place were several dozen Specters that resembled Kain. The dragoon raised his lance as two paths opened up in front of them._

"_Decide quickly. I will hold these off!" he told the other two. Jack was silent as Terra argued._

"_But Kain….!" he began._

"_I'll catch up after I've dealt with these!" Kain told him. Terra nodded and turned to Jack, who was heading down the left path._

"_Jack, we have to go help the others!" he yelled. Jack looked at him, and Xehanort's evil could be seen in his eyes._

"_You value everyone else's lives over Mist's. I've lost her once before, and I will not lose her again to save someone else." he replied darkly, running down the path. _

"_JACK!" Terra screamed, but the wanderer ignored him. He shook his head as he tore down the right path, leaving Kain to deal with the enemies alone._

The scene shifted one final time.

_Jack sprinted down the path as a storm raged above him. He splashed through mud, heading for a building in the distance. He finally made it inside, only to find Mist waiting for him, corrupted by Illusion's evil. "Mist?!" he gasped in shock. She smiled as she raised her blade at him. He shook his head in disbelief._

_Furiously, he looked at the sky, the darkness beginning to spew from him. "ILLUSION!" he roared angrily._

The scenes ended there. Pierce shook his head in confusion as he stood back up and looked at Kain, who nodded, confirming everything to be true. "Dad….was corrupted by darkness?" he asked, completely overwhelmed. Kain sighed.

"Not his own. In the first war, he saved Sora by becoming the host of Xehanort, a mad man who wanted to start the Keyblade War. He kept him submerged as long as he could, but with everything that had happened, Xehanort was about to surface. In the end, Sora went into Jack's heart, and together, they vanquished him for good." he explained. Pierce sat there for several minutes, digesting this revelation about his father.

"My father…..was a hero?" he asked. Kain smiled and nodded.

"Along with Sora, he was THE hero, Pierce. No man has ever sacrificed so much for what he cared about." he confirmed. Pierce put his hands on his forehead. **(end Ven's Theme)**

"Now you have to make your own choice, Pierce. You must choose your own path, and your own destiny. The universe is at your fingertips. You simply have to reach out and grasp it. Follow in your father's footsteps as the wanderer, and be proud to call yourself the son of Jack. But also be proud to call yourself Pierce!" Kain told him, standing behind him. Pierce looked around at the clearing, thinking hard about his father's life and the choices he made.

"My father…always made the hard choices. He always made the decisions no one else wanted to make. He made so many sacrifices for me, and everyone else. It's hard to believe I always thought he was just a dumb adult who didn't know anything. I thought he was a coward because he wouldn't rejoin the LE. I know now that it was because he was tired of running. He was tired of the battlefield. He just wanted some peace for the last half of his life. But, Lorans had to ruin everything. He had to wipe out everyone my father cared about, making him see all that pain, before killing him himself. I will make Lorans pay. I don't care if I die doing it. Lorans will pay for the murders he has committed, and the pain and insanity he has caused!" he declared angrily. He stood up with newfound purpose, and a burning passion to do what he had decided.

"Well? What have you decided?" Kain asked him, his arms crossed, waiting. Pierce looked at him, no longer unsure.

"We go to Baron. Now." he replied firmly. Kain smiled, but both quickly looked to the skies as rumbling could be heard from above.

"No….." Kain muttered.

"What's going on?" Pierce asked him, summoning his Keyblade. Kain looked at him.

"It's Cloud and Zack. They've been tracking us, and they've arrived." he announced. Pierce's eyes widened.

"We have to get to the rendezvous point!" he exclaimed. Kain nodded as a single path opened up, the same path Terra had taken so long ago.

"_Pierce, Kain! We've gotta get out of here now! There's a whole fleet of Immortals headed this way! Get back to the ship!" _Rayne exclaimed over their communicators. Kain shook his head.

"Hmph. So Lorans sends his creatures of light to follow us. He won't be happy when we outrun them. It's Cloud and Zack I'm worried about." he muttered, picking up the pace.

By now, they could hear movement already in the clearing. Kain sighed. "Stop." he said. Pierce skidded to a halt as he turned to the dragoon.

"What?" he asked. Without hesitation, Kain grabbed Pierce tightly, putting his arm over his shoulder.

"Brace yourself." he said quickly. Pierce opened his mouth to question, but Kain dashed forward with the force of a Dragoon and made it the ship in a matter of seconds.

"We head to Baron." Pierce announced as they boarded. Rayne nodded and lifted the ship into the sky.

BARON…

"Sire, we found a spy sneaking around the castle." the head guard told Cecil as his fellows dragged a red headed boy into the room.

"Apparently, he wanted the information you have on former LE agent Lea." the guard continued. Cecil's wife Rosa looked at the boy in concern, but Cecil showed no sympathy.

"Show me his face." he said immediately. The guard stepped back and held the boy's face up by his hair. Cecil smiled evilly as he leaned back on his throne.

He turned to a servant sitting nearby. "Alert Lorans. Tell him we found one of his fugitives." he told her. She bowed low and silently left the room.

Cecil stared at Griffin for a few seconds. "Take him to the dungeons. The supreme one will be here shortly to take him." he told the guards.

**Hope you liked it! Give me credit! Every single chapter so far has been over 2000 words! That's a first, lol!Now I'm gonna crash. Later!**


	10. Ch 10: Luriel

**Hello, everyone! Shout outs:**

**13TheAce: Lol, of course! And give him some credit! He didn't have an eye-opening journey with Kain to learn about his dad, lol!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: It's just you, lol! But that would be awesome, lol! That's my favorite part of the movie! There will be some that have cameos, but not main parts. Mika(the second highest on the council) is actually an important character in FFX. He's up there with Seymour. There will be one character from FF who will be a main character, though. Herald knows who she is, but I'm not revealing her until chapter 15 when she is first seen. Herald, don't you dare, lol!**

**Celeron96: You were the only one who said that, so thank you! Thanks! He has a rider just like Ava. It's Pierce who didn't learn how to do that. He was searching for info on Lea.**

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, another Kain joke! When are you putting those on your profile? Lol, I don't know who should be more honored by that comment, Jack or Ocelot. Lol, nope!**

**AngelicWinds: Lea's wife is up to you guys. I didn't decide anything on that. Lol, yep!**

**Gohan Roxas: Lol, I don't think so! Yuri Lowenthal has a very defining voice, like Liam O'Brien. Example, when I first watched Ben 10: Alien Force, I know it was Yuri. When I first watched Wolverine and the X-Men, I knew Yuri was voicing Iceman. Gosh, I miss that show.**

**Alright. I own the Rikkisons and Lorans. AngelicWinds owns Ava. TheEighthLight owns Griffin. Celeron96 owns a main character who comes in this chapter! Enjoy!**

Chapter 10: Luriel

"That was close." Ava sighed in relief as they sped away from the planet surrounded by Immortals. _(Author's Note: Just in case some of you haven't caught on, the Immortals are those things that attacked Terra, Ven, and Riku in the beginning.)_

Pierce said nothing as he walked to the back of the ship. Kain let him go and sat down in the copilot seat. "We're heading to Baron. Pierce decided." he told Rayne quietly. Rayne looked at him. She opened her mouth to argue, but he spoke first.

"He saw flashbacks of Jack. He decided to make his own decisions and stop being so insecure." he told her. Shocked, she slowly shut her mouth and nodded. He could see a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. "What is it, Rayne?" he asked her in concern. She sighed.

"I need my father just as much as Pierce does, but he hasn't shown himself to help me once since everything happened." she explained. He nodded silently, not knowing what to say. She smiled and shook her head. "Forget it." she told him firmly, putting her attention back to piloting the ship.

Ava watched Pierce walk to the back of the ship. She waited for a few minutes, giving him plenty of time to go wherever he was going, and then followed him. It didn't take long to find him. He was in the armory. "What are you doing?" she asked him curiously. He flinched in shock, but tried to pass it off as "feeling a breeze."

"I'm just…..making my own look." he told her, thinking of the right words to say. She raised her eyebrow at him. He sighed. "This getup pretty much labels me as Jack. I want to be known as Pierce." he explained. She nodded in understanding.

"So what are you gonna make yourself look like?" she asked him. He smiled slightly as he walked over to the mirror.

"Well, for starters, I'm gonna change my hair color. They've got my warrant, and they're looking for brown headed sixteen year olds with green eyes. There are so many of them to look at that they won't look twice at a black haired teenager." he explained. She nodded, thinking he actually had a good plan going. He summoned his Keyblade, but she stopped him.

"I don't want to sound mean, but I'll put it bluntly: do you even know what you're doing?" she asked him calmly. He stared at her firmly for several moments, and then sighed.

"No….." he admitted. She smiled softly as she had him dismiss his blade and sit down in a chair nearby.

"Then let me do this." she told him. He wasn't very happy, but he wasn't fighting back, so she began to work her magic. She cast a few delicate spells and let them swirl around in her hand while she played with his hair with her other hand. In reality, this wasn't necessary, but she was enjoying it.

After the spells had mixed for several minutes, she smiled and pressed them softly down onto his hair.

"How does it look?" he asked her a few seconds later. She smiled at her work and let him get up to walk to the mirror on the wall. He looked into the mirror, and he had sleek black hair, as opposed to his original brown.

"Black seems more…..me, don't you think?" he asked her, smiling. She smiled back, shrugging her shoulders. He walked up to her and hugged her. "Thank you, Ava." he told her. She hugged him back.

"Don't mention it." she told him, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. Without another word, she walked out the door. Pierce was left standing in the room, touching the spot on his cheek where she had kissed him.

Getting over it, he turned back to the armor rack. The ship was stocked with several different outfits and kinds of armor. He looked down at himself. The long-sleeved black shirt was great for hiding in shadows, but he wasn't a fan of long sleeves. He pushed the sleeves up to his elbows and put on a pair of shiny black gauntlets. They bore the LE symbol, being that of Kingdom Hearts with the X-blade etched on the front of it.

The gauntlets fit well with his fingerless gloves. Now, other than his white camo pants, he was in all black, even his hair. He sighed, turning to the door and walking up to the cockpit. "What have we got?" he asked as he sat down around their meeting table. Griffin's chair was empty, of course, but everyone else was waiting for him. He stared at the seat silently.

"We'll find him, Pierce." Ava assured him. He nodded, and looked at them.

"Nice new look." Rayne complimented. He smiled slightly. Kain cleared his throat.

"Well, Rayne and I got into a bit of an argument….again. We're floating above a world that she thinks we should stop on, but I say we continue on to Baron." he began. Pierce nodded and looked at his sister.

"You think something's down there?" he asked her. She nodded.

"I have a feeling that we need to stop." she told him simply. He nodded.

"Then we stop." he decided. Kain stood up.

"Enjoy yourselves. I'll scout the road ahead to Baron. I'll be back with my findings. If I'm not back by the time you're ready to leave, then go without me." he told them, heading for the loading bay.

The other three sighed as they directed the ship down to land.

KIRKWALL, HIGHTOWN…..

"Well, this place….sure is different." Pierce muttered as they climbed up a tall flight of stairs and found themselves in a marketplace. It was very different from the one in Radiant Garden. Merchants had tents set up every few feet, trying to sell their wares. Various posters were hanging up on several pillars and walls, offering munny for odd jobs.

"I'm just saying, Hawke, I think we should be more discreet about whether we side with the mages or the Templars." they heard someone say from behind them. They turned to find a tall, black haired man in shining black armor walking past them. A giant, two handed sword rested on his back. To his side was a blonde-haired dwarf in a leather coat. A unique crossbow sat astride his back.

"Varric, I can't believe you're the one telling me to not talk." the man called Hawke muttered. The dwarf, Varric, smiled.

"Oh cheer up, Buttercup. At least I'm not like these wily merchants wanting to bribe you with cheap crap labeled "exotic rarities." he replied in a sarcastic tone. Hawke laughed as a merchant came running up to him.

"Champion, have a look inside my store! My wares are so rare that they can only be found in the peaks of the mountains above Orlais!" he declared. Hawke raised an eyebrow at Varric as they walked past the merchant.

Pierce, Ava, and Rayne exchanged looks and walked through the market. On every corner, there were men in shining white armor with broad shields. "If you see any suspect mages or apostates, report to us immediately." they were telling the passersby. Pierce nodded at one when he told them the same message.

"Well, Sis, does your feeling tell you where we should go?" he asked her, having no idea where they were. Rayne looked around her.

"Let's just keep heading straight." she told him evasively. He smacked his forehead in frustration, but said nothing. None of them noticed the man dressed completely in black leather watching them from across the market. He smirked as he walked up to the nearest Templar.

"There are suspect fugitives walking through Hightown right now. Run along and get your Knight-commander. I'll be waiting." he told him seriously. The Templar stared at him with a look of shock, but quickly ran out of the market.

Pierce was trying to figure out where to go when he heard two burly men in front of him talking. "Been to the Blooming Rose lately?"

"The brothel? Nah, man. Hubert's so far up my arse I can taste him with my tongue. If I skip out of a job, I'll be fired before I can get my munny." the other replied. The first one sniggered.

"Well, I heard they got a new one. Just turned sixteen, so she can be used now. She's a feisty one, too. Give you plenty of entertainment for your money." he told his friend.

"Really? I like feisty…..What's she look like?" he asked.

"Green hair, abnormal, I know. She's pale, but there's a lot of spirit in that one. More than worth the gold." the first one said obnoxiously.

"I'm off right now. How 'bout we go?" the second, more stupid, one said.

"I'm all for it. I have first grabs, though." the first one said slyly.

"Is that your feeling?" Pierce asked his sister. Rayne glanced at him silently and began to follow the two men.

They followed them down a street that turned right, leading right to a tall building next to a set of stairs leading down. "In we go, I guess." Pierce muttered. Ava grabbed his arm and whirled him around.

"Don't even think about doing anything in there." she warned him, her finger in his face. He held his hands up in defense.

"I'm not that kind of guy, don't worry!" he told her. She nodded in an "I don't believe you" kind of way and turned to catch up with Rayne. "Get your panties out of a wad." he muttered under his breath. She whirled around.

"What did you say?!" she demanded. He rubbed his neck nervously.

"I said next time I'll just smile and nod!" he told her, walking past her quickly and heading inside.

THE BLOOMING ROSE….**(Dragon Age 2 Main Theme, Dragon Age 2)**

The three walked inside to find a very crowded main foyer. They saw a long counter where women were handling money and customers. Pierce, Ava, and Rayne walked up to one of the girls. "Whatcha want?" she asked rudely. Pierce cleared his throat, making sure his hood covered his face.

"I'm looking for a woman. You selling?" he asked her. She checked her books.

"Anything in particular you're looking for?" she asked him lazily. He nodded.

"I can only spend money on ladies with green hair. Pale skin is an added bonus, too." he told her. She flipped through her books while a man in black leather entered the building with a woman in Templar uniform.

"Lucky you. We've got one with both. She's young, too. Still a virgin. We have to keep her chained up, though. Still want her?" she asked him.

"Definitely." he assured her. **(end Main Theme)**

**(Those who Fight piano version, Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children)**

At that moment, one of the men from earlier came flying out one of the doors upstairs. He toppled down the stairs and landed at the bottom with a thud. "What a jerk! You can't just come and take advantage of me like that!" they heard a voice yell. A girl with green hair appeared on the balcony, looking at everyone.

"I'm getting out of here! You can't hold me prisoner any longer!" she yelled as everyone else went silent.

"We can, and we will." the female Templar said dangerously as she stepped forward. "You are from another world, girl, and we will not let you walk our streets freely." she told the girl.

"I'm not _girl_! I have a name, and it's Luriel, you hag!" the girl screamed down.

"Take her!" she yelled to the guards around the room. Pierce was about to step forward to help her when Ava put her hand on his wrist. A second later, Zack and Cloud came running in the room.

"Over there! Take her!" the man in black leather told them. He walked past, and Pierce hissed.

"Gisborne…" he whispered angrily.

"We have to do something!" Ava whispered to Rayne, who nodded. Zack and Cloud reluctantly began their way up the stairs as Gisborne and the Templar followed.

"Hey, Gisborne! Leave her alone! I'm your real target!" Pierce yelled, throwing off his hood and summoning his Keyblade. Gisborne looked over at him angrily. He pointed and yelled.

"Rikkison! Seize him! Forget the girl!" he told the others. The Templar looked at him in confusion as Zack and Cloud leaped over the railing to the floor. Ava and Rayne revealed themselves and appeared next to him.

"Looks like we got the whole batch." Zack muttered unenthusiastically. Pierce glared at him, but turned to Luriel.

"Get out of here while you can! Go!" he screamed at her. She nodded and jumped off the balcony. Hitting the ground with a light thud, she reached the door in a matter of seconds. But then, she looked back. She looked up to see a pair of sickles hanging on the wall.

"We're outnumbered!" Rayne said as Cloud, Zack, Gisborne, and the Templar advanced.

"The old lady hardly counts." Pierce replied. The Templar stared at him angrily.

"I am Knight-commander Meredith, and you would do well to fear me, fugitive." she told him venomously. Ava shook her head as she readied her Keyblade. Meredith raised her sword to attack.

A sickle bounced off her blade and ricocheted back to its owner. Luriel caught it with one hand and stepped next to Rayne. "Let's even the odds." she told them, tossing her sickles into the air and catching them again. They smiled at her, and turned back to their opponents.

Pierce aimed for Zack, Rayne for Cloud, Ava for Gisborne, and Luriel for Meredith. "To kill a snake…." Pierce muttered, staring at Zack.

"CUT OFF ITS HEAD!" they yelled together as they charged. Pierce relentlessly battered Zack with strikes, but the older man seemed to only want to block him.

Rayne tried to disarm Cloud, but noticed that the blonde took no opportunities to attack her.

Ava clashed blades with Gisborne, and was easily superior to him. But, somehow, he tripped her. Landing on her back, she saw him raise his sword to kill her. At the last second, Pierce shoulder bashed him, and he went flying into the wall, unconscious. "Told you I've got your back!" he told her. She smiled as Luriel and Rayne sent Meredith fleeing out the door. **(end Those Who Fight)**

Zack and Cloud lowered their blades and stared at them. "We're on your side." Zack told them.

"Like I'm gonna believe that." Pierce spat, holding his blade at the other man's chest. Zack shook his head.

"I would never betray Jack. He was one of my closest friends, too. Cloud's used his spot on the Council to get us all information. I'm the one who told Marek where Lorans was keeping Soriah." he explained. This caused them to lower their weapons.

"Lorans has Soriah?!" Rayne gasped.

"You spoke to Marek?" Pierce asked. Zack nodded for both questions.

"We have to look like we're with Lorans in order to be of any use. That's why we only attacked when Gisborne was here." Cloud told them. Pierce stared at them for several seconds.

"Say I trust you, you're just gonna let us go?" he questioned. Zack nodded.

"Of course. We can just tell Lorans that Gisborne got in the way and we lost your trail. Do you trust us yet?" he explained. Ava and Luriel kept their weapons raised, but Pierce dismissed his.

"I do believe you. We're heading to Baron right now. We're gonna get Cecil back." he told them as Ava stared at him in shock.

"If we can turn the Council, then we might have a chance." Cloud agreed. Gisborne began to groan.

"You'd better get going. He's waking up." Zack told them. Pierce nodded. As his group ran for the door, he looked back.

"Hey, Zack." he said. Zack turned to him.

"Yeah?" he asked. Pierce smiled.

"Thanks." he told him simply. Zack smiled.

"No problem, kid. I like the black hair. It really suits you. Now get going." he complimented. Pierce nodded and ran out, letting the door close behind him.

**It was gonna be longer, but I'm gonna cut it off here, alright? Now I'm gonna crash. Don't forget to hit that review button! Celeron96, I expect a good lengthy review from you, lol!**


	11. Ch 11: Revelations

**Hey, guys! Shout outs:**

**13TheAce: You'd be right, lol! Nothing had happened to her yet, don't worry. They couldn't touch her until she turned 16, and Pierce rescued her right away.**

**Gohan Roxas: Very much so, lol. Liam Neeson does, too!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, yep. Where there's Herald, there's… Lol, don't worry, Rydia will have a cameo in Baron. Of course they're good guys! Can you see Zack being evil, lol? **

**Celeron96: Well done, dude! There might be something there, lol. It was a one-time thing. I might do a Star Wars world, though. I haven't decided yet. Lol, I wish I'd thought of that! And don't worry, you'll see that this chapter. Haha! Yes, I did. Herald told me. He thinks he's a rebel. I can see his head getting even bigger now…LOL, JUST KIDDING, HERALD!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Why can I not remember who says that all the time? Nice British dialect. But can you speak it? Lol, I can do perfect spoken British, Italian, Russian, and German accents, lol. Alright, cool, and thanks!**

**TheEighthLight: LOL! That's hilarious.**

**AngelicWinds: The entire party will be joined by chapter 20. There's a hint for ya about Marek's appearance, since he's the last to reveal himself. **

**Alright, well no one commented on Pierce's mild costume change, but oh well! I figured it would be the smart thing to do if everyone's looking for you, change yourself a little bit! Not one comment about it, though! **

**You know what everyone owns. Fair warning, some of you are gonna hate me by the end of this chapter!**

Chapter 11: Revelations

Pierce made sure everyone else was on board. Rayne hurried to the pilot's chair and began powering up the engines. Ava got in the copilot's chair and looked over everything. But Pierce stood outside, seeing Luriel looking out at the city in the distance. "You're free to go, you know." he told her. She turned around and looked at him.

"It's been so long since I've been free. My brother's dead, so I don't know where I should go." she explained softly. She had found a sheath for her sickles, resting on her back. She looked back at Kirkwall and sighed. "Is it okay….if I tag along for a while?" she asked him after a few moments. Pierce was taken aback, not expecting this. After all, he didn't even know her. But he decided that he couldn't just leave her there alone.

"We've got plenty of room. We could use the company, actually." he told her, gesturing toward the loading ramp. She turned to him and began to walk up the ramp. She smiled and ran her hand across his chest as she walked past.

"I bet you could." she whispered to him, smiling as she headed for the cockpit. Pierce didn't even know what to say.

The ramp shut behind him, and he walked into the cockpit. Ava was none too pleased about their new companion, but wasn't going to say a word. Rayne smiled at Luriel as she flicked the engines on. The ship rose into the air, and without hesitation, Rayne sent her into the atmosphere.

LANES BETWEEN…..

"So tell us about yourself." Rayne said conversationally as she turned the auto-pilot on and sat at the table with the other three. Pierce and Ava looked at their newest companion.

"My name's Luriel, but my friends call me Lulu. My brother and I always struggled to live. He was always hired to do questionable jobs. Assassinations, spying, wet works kind of stuff. It was the only way to keep us off the street. It worked for a while, until the darkness took our world.

After that, I woke up on some random world. I had no idea where I was, but my brother didn't rest until he found me. He said the place I was in was Kirkwall, and that we needed a place to stay. We ended up at the brothel, but someone told Meredith about us. She attacked with her Templars. I was too young, but my brother fought to protect me. Even for how good a killer he was, he couldn't take on four dozen knights and their commander. She struck him down and killed him. From there, I was on my own. They kept me locked up in that place, thinking I might have some greater use. Once they killed Lumaria, I had nowhere that I could go." she told them slowly, choking with sadness when she brought up her brother. Pierce looked at her sadly.

"I'm Pierce Rikkison. My father was Jack, one of the heroes of the Keyblade Wars. Lorans, the supreme of the Council of Sovereigns, killed him and the rest of the Keyblade wielders. We're all that's left. Well, us, Griffin, and Marek." he explained to her. She looked at them curiously. Rayne smiled.

"I need to get back to the controls." she told them, standing up and leaving.

"You need help?" Pierce asked her. She nodded.

"Just in case." she replied. The siblings left the room, leaving Ava and Luriel there alone.

"So, how's Pierce's romantic side? Is it something to behold? Cause I definitely wanna get in on that action." Luriel asked her, smiling and staring at where he had gone. Ava clenched her jaw in anger.

"You just stay away from him. You hear me?" she replied, trying to stay calm. Luriel raised her eyebrows, and stared at her in amusement.

"I get it now. You're the hopeless crush who's waiting for him to notice you. How cute." she taunted. Ava jumped to her feet.

"SHUT UP!" she roared. Luriel smirked as she stood up too.

"I'm kinda wanting you to make you." she replied, her hands ready to grab her sickles at a second's notice. As Ava readied to summon her blade, the ship lurched dangerously. **(Enemy Attack, Final Fantasy X)**

"Something hit us!" Rayne exclaimed. The girls ran into the cockpit as Rayne pulled away from whatever had hit them. Pierce ran to the window and groaned angrily.

"Immortals!" he told them as he ran toward one of the turrets. Ava summoned her armor.

"Rayne, open the hangar doors." she told her. Rayne nodded and focused on the controls.

"What can I do?!" Luriel asked.

"Get on the other turret and help them shoot them down!" Rayne told her. Without a second thought, she ran for the other turret and settled in it.

Ava ran into the hangar, summoning her rider and leaping into the air at the same time. She landed smoothly on her rider and soared out of the hangar. She wasted no time in flying through several dozen of the creatures of light. There were enough to stretch until the horizon. "Guys, I think we've got a problem…..!" she told them as she flew away from a group chasing her.

"Yeah, Ava, we know!" Pierce yelled back as he fired up his guns. He and Luriel began to spray all around them as Rayne expertly piloted the ship around obstacles and away from Immortals. Luriel smirked as she took out a group with her cannon.

"Haven't had this much fun in years!" she yelled happily. Pierce smiled calmly.

"Brothels don't have anything fun, huh?" he replied as he continued to shoot at the creatures.

"Will you two shut up and shoot!?" Ava yelled in irritation as the ones following her began to gain on her. "Hello!? Anyone wanna help me out?!" she yelled angrily, spinning her rider in front of her and clearing a path.

"Don't get your panties in a wad! I'm taking 'em out!" Pierce told her confidently as he shot at the chasers. Ava shook her head as she whirled around to head for the ship.

"I know you didn't just tell me that, Pierce. You must want a death wish!" she muttered. Pierce smiled, but the alarms on the ship went off suddenly.

"We're taking too much damage! We have to pull out now!" Rayne yelled as she desperately tried to keep the ship under control.

"Hang on, I'm almost there!" Ava told her, flying back. The creatures blocked her way forward, and she turned to go back. They boxed her in, leaving no way of escape. "I'm trapped!" she screamed angrily.

"We have to leave her!" Luriel yelled uncertainly. Rayne looked at Pierce.

"We're going down if we don't leave NOW!" she yelled. Pierce shook his head as he jumped out of his turret and sprinted for the hangar. "We're pulling out!" Rayne yelled, but just as the ship shot forward, Pierce leaped through the air and flew out the hangar doors. Putting his hood up and summoning his rider, he flew toward where they were enclosing Ava.

"Pierce!" Rayne yelled as the ship flew away. In a flash, it, along with Rayne and Luriel, was gone. Pierce soared through the group in front of Ava, clearing her escape route.

"Get out of there!" he told her, reverting his rider to blade form. As she flew out of the horde, he charged his Keyblade with a Thunder spell and threw it into the mass of creatures.

After a few moments, a massive explosion blew him backward through the Lanes. Ava swooped in and caught him on her rider at the last second. **(end Enemy Attack)**

"You alright?" she asked him. He smiled, catching his breath.

"Me? I came out here to save you!" he replied.

"So, what now?" she asked him. He sighed.

"They know our destination. They'll meet us in Baron. Let's go. Kain's waiting for us." he decided.

MYSTERIOUS TOWER…

The ship appeared in the sky and plummeted toward the ground. It slammed into the earth and shot forward several meters before slowing to a stop. Rayne sighed deeply and looked over at Luriel, who was still intact. "You alright?" she asked. The green haired girl nodded.

"I've had smoother landings…." she muttered, unbuckling herself and standing up. "Where are we?" she asked after a second. Rayne looked out the window and froze in shock.

They were at Yen Sid's old tower. Only half of the tower still stood, and smoke was still rising from dying flames.

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL CHAMBER…

"You lost their trail?!" Lorans thundered. Zack and Cloud stared at him, unafraid.

"We were going just fine until Gisborne decided to be reckless." Cloud explained. Lorans slammed his fist down on his armrest as Mika stood up to speak.

"We have long suspected that you did not have the strength and will to sit on this Council, Cloud Strife. Because you have now proven that, we hereby revoke your status as a supreme ruler. You are no longer a member of this Council, nor the appointed ruler of your world." he told the blonde haired swordsman seriously. Cloud shook his head while Zack gasped.

"Like that's something you can decide on your own!" he argued. Mika laughed quietly.

"I can decide on my own!" Lorans roared as he stood up. Cloud and Zack stepped back. Lorans took a few steps down from his throne and pointed at them. "Leave, while I allow you to do so as free men. Your replacement has already been chosen." he told them dangerously. Cloud looked like he wanted to argue, but Zack pulled him away.

"C'mon, Cloud. There's nothing we can do. We have to go." he muttered. Cloud glared at the corrupt leaders as the door shut behind them.

"Who's this new replacement?" Arthur asked curiously. Lorans smirked evilly.

"Someone who will have 100% obedience to my orders. He is someone who anyone from the old generation of heroes will recognize, and someone who can make the heroes unhinged." he said vaguely. Arthur stared at him curiously, until a voice was heard from the door.

"So, the party started without me, eh? No respect for those of age….." muttered a voice very familiar to Mickey. **(Counterattack, Dissidia 012)**

"Impossible…." he muttered as the new Council member stepped into the light. He still wore the same black cloak. His bald head and white goatee remained the same. His yellow eyes still burned with darkness, and his voice was as grizzled as ever.

"I believe I have you to thank for my….resurrection?" he questioned Lorans, who smiled.

"Indeed you do. Now I need you to follow my orders. Do that, and you will have more power than you could ever want." he explained. Xehanort smirked.

"Well then, this will be most entertaining." he agreed, taking his place on Cloud's throne.

"So when do you want me to head out?" Braig asked as he stepped into the room, also having been resurrected. Lorans smiled.

"Cloud and Zack have failed me. Track down the fugitives, Braig. I need not tell you what happens if you fail me." Lorans told him. Braig nodded seriously.

"You can count on me." he replied, heading for the door. Lorans smirked as he stepped down from his throne and walked through a back door behind it.

DUNGEON, COUNCIL CASTLE…

Lorans silently walked into the room. The place was empty except for a single table in the middle of the room. He walked up to the table and stared at the three month old baby lying on the pile of blankets. He smiled as he picked the baby up gently. "Soriah, you will lead me to everything that I desire. I must finish purging this world of the Rikkison filth. Perhaps then, I can return to my own time." he muttered to the baby, who stared blankly back at him.** (end Counterattack)**

**Well, did you like it? Lots of stuff this chapter! **


	12. Ch 12: Scattered Survivors

**Hey! I would have had this up sooner, but I've been watching Robin Hood all day! Shout outs:**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, yes it is very bad! Wow, someone just shut Cloud down…..scary…**

**13TheAce: Lol, very much so! Because he's Xehanort, lol! **

**TheEighthLight: Is that meant for Xehanort, lol?**

**The Unknowing Herald: LOL! It was a joke, calm down! Lol. There'll be more, don't worry! No he can't, lol! It's been a month since the Massacre. It won't play a big part until the last fourth of the story.**

**Celeron96: Thanks! It wasn't based off that, actually. Mickey does. Everyone else is evil or brainwashed, pretty much. Really? Lol. **

**Alright, I own Lorans and the Rikkisons. I guess I own Soriah, too. Ava belongs to AW and Griffin belongs to TEL.**

Chapter 12: Scattered Survivors

FORMER LE HQ, RUINED TOWER…..

"You can stay at the ship if you want, but I need to go inside." Rayne told Luriel as she summoned Equilibrium to her hand and stepped onto the grass. Lulu smiled as she stepped out behind her.

"Like I'm gonna sit in one place while you're in there investigating." she replied sarcastically. Rayne smiled at her as she slowly approached the doors.

They were scorched black and hanging off their hinges. Rayne gently pushed one, and it fell flat onto the floor with a loud crash. She readied her blade, but nothing came to meet her out of the darkness, so she stepped inside. She summoned a ball of fire to hover in her hand as they began to climb the steps. Lulu held her sickles ready just in case. Many of the steps had chunks missing, and there were a few parts where there were complete gaps that the girls had to jump across.

Finally, they reached the top, where the study used to be. The door was completely gone, and they cautiously walked inside. The wall in front of them was completely destroyed, leaving a drop off ledge. Yen Sid's old desk was thrown against the wall to their right, where one door was still halfway on its hinges. Lulu carelessly kicked a few broken objects off the tower, but noticed Rayne's complete silence.

She turned and looked at the black haired woman. Rayne was staring at an object stuck in the ground close to the edge of the destroyed wall.

It was Jason's Keyblade. Rayne began to cry silently as she stared at the silver blade. There was not even a scratch mark on the blade. He hadn't even fought back, but Lorans had killed him in cold blood, she realized. Lulu walked up and stared at the Keyblade. "Someone you knew?" she asked softly. Rayne slowly nodded.

"He was my grandfather. He led the LE." she replied. Lulu nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry." she told her sincerely. Rayne nodded slowly before brushing away her tears.

"There isn't even a mark on the blade. He didn't fight back, but Lorans killed him anyway." she whispered. Lulu looked at the blade again, realizing that she was right.

"We need to go, Rayne. There's nothing else here." she urged. Rayne suddenly looked around curiously.

"You're right. There's nothing, not even a body…" she muttered.

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL ARMORY…..

"Alright, I want you three to patrol sector 17. You four watch sector 23. The rest of you, you're with me. Gisborne, take your guys and keep an eye on Baron. We heard the dragoon went back there." Braig commanded his troops as they outfitted themselves. Braig himself now wore golden armor, and his twin arrowguns rested in their holsters across his back. Gisborne nodded, walking out with his men.

Braig smiled evilly. "Commander, we have some news." a soldier announced as everyone else left the room.

"What have you got, rookie?" Braig asked him as he walked out toward his ship. The new recruit followed him.

"The one we've been searching for, he's been spotted near Nottingham. He's getting closer, sir." he explained. Braig breathed deeply.

"Marek…" he hissed, approaching his ship. "The other news?" he asked. The recruit nodded quickly.

"We think we've found their camp, sir. It has to be the Rikkison boy's. No one else would have a ship like that." he told him. Braig smiled evilly again.

"Tell everyone good work. Gather everyone you can. When I get back, we attack their camp." he told the recruit.

"Yes, sir!" he replied, saluting as Braig stepped on the ramp and the ship rose into the air.

BARON….

"So this is Baron?" Ava asked as they flew into a kingdom with a towering castle in the background.

"Must be. Let's land and find Kain." Pierce told her. They flew down to the ground, landing in the middle of a town. "He could be anywhere." he muttered as he and Ava quickly blended in to the shadows and moved through alleyways. They tried to avoid the main streets as much as possible, all the while heading toward the castle.

"How hard is he to find?!" Ava gasped after about an hour of searching.

"All you had to do was call my name." said a voice. Kain appeared around a corner a few feet from them.

"About time, old man. What happened, you broke a bone?" Pierce told him, sighing but smiling. Kain grunted.

"I'll have you know that I'm not even 40 yet, so it would be wise to watch your mouth, before it gets you in trouble." he advised. Pierce nodded, and Ava cleared her throat.

"Can we get to the problem at hand?" she asked them exasperatedly. Kain nodded.

"There is a man in Cecil's court, trying to impersonate me. They have labeled me an imposter and a fugitive while he kills in my name. He must be stopped." he explained.

"And how do we get in the castle?" Pierce asked him. Kain smiled slightly.

"We find Golbez. He's waiting for us." he said simply.

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL CHAMBER…

"Do you have any idea what time it is in my world?" Vasey muttered rudely as he walked into the room in his nightclothes. Lorans smiled as Mika and Xehanort walked in, too.

"I called this meeting because I have a certain amount of trust in each of you." Lorans explained. Vasey rolled his eyes.

"Oh. la-di-da-di-da! Can we get on with this already?!" he screamed angrily. Lorans glared at him dangerously.

"Mind your tongue, _mortal_." he told him angrily. Vasey nodded and sat down quickly.

"What do you need from us, Lorans?" Mika asked him. Lorans smiled and looked around.

"I believe that there is a traitor on this Council. The mouse king may have renounced the Keyblade, but I do not think his loyalties are with this Council. The young king of Camelot still has much to learn. That servant is always in his ear, swaying him back and forth. The paladin who rules Baron, I do not think we can maintain his control for much longer. One of them….is a traitor." he announced. Xehanort smiled.

"So quick to anger, Lorans. So quick to suspect… The key to a successful rule is to not be so paranoid that you won't walk out your front door." he muttered. Lorans glanced at him.

"Thanks for the words of elderly wisdom. But, I have already begun my contingency plans….." he began, looking back at the others.

KEYBLADE GRAVEYARD…

A figure in a black cloak and hood silently walked across the plain of dead Keys. He did not stop until he reached the base of a towering plateau, where a clearing had been made. Within this clearing were nine Keyblades stuck in the ground in almost perfect circular fashion. He sighed deeply as he began to pick them up out of the ground.

Within several minutes, he stood on top of the plateau, placing the dead Keyblades into the ground in the middle of the plateau. At the head of the nine, he placed three in the ground up front. One was brown with a blue hilt. His best friend, Terra's. Another had a yellow handle and a silver blade. His friend, Sora's. The final one stood at the very front. It was black, but lined with silver and gold all around the blade and hilt. This one belonged to Jack, the one who gave him his Keyblade.

Ven put down his hood and stared at the sky, his eyes watering. "Lorans, why is there so much malice in your heart?" he asked as he looked at the other Keyblades: the flower crested one that belonged to Kairi, the red blade with the wing that was Riku's, the flame bladed one that was Lea's, the dark blue one that was Aqua's. Roxas and Xion's blades, too. They were all gone. Only he had survived that battle. He looked around, realizing something.

"Why are there no bodies here?" he muttered to himself.

BARON, CASTLE GATES….

"Hurry up!" Ava whispered harshly.

"One more second…..got it!" Kain replied as the lock clicked and the door opened. He gestured them in the side door to the castle and quickly shut it behind them.

"Kain. I've been waiting for your return." Golbez greeted, who had been waiting for them.

"Golbez, we must confront Cecil now, before they realize we're here." Kain told the other man. Golbez nodded.

"But before that, you must pass your trial, Kain. You must be sure that you can defeat your dark self." he explained. Pierce and Ava looked at him in question, but Kain nodded.

"I am ready." he said simply. Golbez nodded, and stepped to the side, revealing a door right behind him.

"While you are inside, I shall depart. It will be better to have help with us than have none at all." he told them. With a flick of his cloak, he was gone. Kain began to walk toward the door without a backward glance.

"Kain." Pierce said. He turned to look at him.

"What is it?" he asked. Pierce smiled.

"We'll be waiting for you to come back." he told him. Kain nodded.

"I'll be back." he promised. With a deep breath, he pushed open the doors and walked inside.

?, ? **(Suspicion extended, Final Fantasy IV)**

_Everything seemed out of place. Kain grunted as he woke up in a bed. "Kain, you're awake." Cecil greeted as he walked into the room. Kain groaned and clutched his head._

"_What happened?" he asked. Cecil smiled._

"_You collapsed after you took out Bahamut single-handed. Don't you remember?" he explained. Kain shook his head._

"_I remember…..nothing." he said, confused. Cecil stared at him strangely as he walked for the door._

_LATER THAT NIGHT….._

"_Who else do you know uses a lance, Cecil?" Edge demanded as they stood outside the inn. Kain could hear them from inside._

"_I do not think Kain is a killer! I've known him my whole life." Cecil argued._

"_Wake up, Cecil! You know it was him! Besides, it doesn't matter anyway. They're coming to arrest him." Edge told him, angrily walking away. Cecil shook his head, watching the ninja go. Within a few minutes, guards showed up at the inn._

_But by the time they got to the room, it was empty. Kain dashed across the rooftops. "Someone has been pretending to be me and killing people? Everything always happens to me….." he muttered, watching the village from a rooftop. _

_He suddenly saw a shadow in the street grab Cecil and drag him into the shadows._

_Without hesitation, he chased after them. The captor proved elusive, but he managed to find the trail. He quickly followed it and stopped when he reached a dark, abandoned shack._

_He cautiously walked inside. He gasped as he found Rosa on the floor. A quick examination proved she was dead. Cecil was bound and gagged in a corner. He went to help him when the captor stepped out of the shadows. "I knew you'd come. You're so easy to manipulate." he said. Kain drew his lance and held it at the ready._

"_Who are you?!" he demanded. The figure laughed._

"_You're so much better than him, you know. Why not kill him and take his place?" he asked, referring to Cecil. Kain lowered his lance for a second._

"_What?!" he asked, and quickly raised it again. The figure laughed again as he threw off his cloak. Kain gasped to see…himself._

"_Yes, I am your dark half. I'm the superior half. Kill Cecil and use his power to defeat me! If you do not, then you will perish!" Dark Kain yelled. Kain stared at him angrily. After several moments, he lowered his lance._

"_You will have to kill me." he told him firmly. Dark Kain frowned._

"_No…..!" he gasped as he began to fade. Kain stared in awe as his dark half faded into nothing. Cecil freed himself and stood up. He looked at Kain and spoke, but it was not his voice._

"_You have passed your test, Dragoon, and have gained new strength." he told him in a deep voice._

"_What?" Kain questioned him, but felt himself collapsing to the floor. _**(end Suspicion)**

"You're back!" Pierce greeted as Kain stepped out of the door. He nodded slowly.

"That was…..a trying experience." he muttered. Pierce smiled.

"Alright, what do we need to do?" he asked. Kain looked at him and Ava.

"Ava, head to the dungeons and free Griffin. Cecil will no doubt have locked his cell with a magical barrier so that he couldn't use his Keyblade to free himself. Pierce, you and I will look for Ceodore. He's hiding somewhere in the castle, waiting for us." he told them. Pierce nodded as Ava ran down the hallway.

"Whenever you're ready." Pierce told him. Kain nodded, and led the way.

**First major Kain plotpoint! I hope you liked it! Don't forget to review! Griffin returns next chapter! Who's excited?!**


	13. Ch 13: A Dragoon's Pride

**Sorry about not updating yesterday. I was pretty busy. Shout outs:**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Thanks! That's the best compliment I could get!**

**TheEighthLight: Ummm, okay?**

**AngelicWinds: Oh don't worry, it's fine. I was at Six Flags all day, so I know how you feel.**

**Celeron96: Thanks! Lol, no one knows yet! No, not yet, but close!**

**13TheAce: I didn't do that because I wanted their deaths to be final, you know? **

**The Unknowing Herald: Yep! Golbez prepared it for him. He's not HD yet. Could be, lol! They're coming this chapter. No, that's this chapter, lol. **

**Gohan Roxas: Thanks, and mine too! He's my third, after Auron and Zack. **

**Alright, you know who owns what, I hope. I honestly want this chapter out of the way so I can do the next one. If everyone reviews early tonight, I might just do another chapter tonight!**

Chapter 13: A Dragoon's Pride

Ava hurried to the dungeons. For some reason, there were no people walking around in the castle. She didn't even run into any guards until she reached the cells. "Hey, what are you doing down here?!" the guard demanded, drawing his sword warily. Ava rolled her eyes and walked up to him.

"I must have made a wrong turn." she told him. He walked up to her, lowering his sword. She shook her head as she knocked him out with a punch to the face. "Men, they're all the same." she muttered, taking his keys and walking down the hallway.

Most of the cells were empty, so it took her several minutes. "Griffin?" she called out.

"Ava?" came his voice to her right. She walked past two more cells before finding the one he was in.

"Griffin!" she exclaimed. He looked half-starved, but other than that, he looked alright. She quickly fumbled through the keys until she found the right one. She quickly unlocked the door and turned off the magical barrier. She hugged him tightly. "Are you alright?" she asked him. He nodded as they began to make their way back.

"Yeah. You guys took your time." he replied. She sighed.

"Sorry, Pierce decided to stop and help someone." she told him.

CASTLE UPPER FLOORS…

"Where are we?" Pierce asked as they hurried along long hallways and around tight corners.

"We're close to the throne room. This is where Ceodore said to meet him." he replied.

"Let's hope he's here, then…." Pierce muttered. They raised their weapons as they heard footsteps coming.

"Sorry, am I late?" asked a young man about Pierce's age as he came running up to them.

"Ceodore, you're right on time." Kain greeted. Ceodore had short spiky blonde hair, and he wore armor similar to that of his father, Cecil.

"Where are the others?" the prince asked. Right on cue, Ava and Griffin came running down the hallway.

"Griffin, you're alright!" Pierce greeted, hugging his friend. Griffin smiled nervously.

"I'm sorry, guys." he told them quietly. Pierce and Ava looked at him strangely.

"Don't worry about it, Griffin. We're gonna get out of here." she told him, smiling. He smiled back.

"We can't afford to wait any longer. We have to go in, now." Kain told them.

As one, they approached the broad doors leading to the throne. The two guards by the doors proved little protection as they went flying into the room, landing at Cecil's feet.

"So the traitor has led his fellow fugitives right to us." Cecil spoke, staring at Kain. The dragoon boldly stepped forward.

"I am no murderer and no traitor, Cecil. You are being controlled! You don't even recognize your son!" he yelled. Cecil glance at Ceodore and looked at the rest of the group.

"So you have come to supplant me? To take over Baron and make it a land of traitors? I think not, old friend." he replied, bringing out his sword and standing up.

"Cecil, you don't have to do this!" Kain yelled. A dark aura appeared around the king as he began to hover in the air.

"Apparently, I do." Cecil told him angrily. **(Battle with the Four Fiends, Dissidia)**

Kain held his lance out and dashed forward. Ava and Griffin ran to the side, and Pierce and Ceodore rolled to the side as Cecil came shooting past them, swinging. Cecil quickly whirled around and headed for Kain. He swung outward, but Kain jumped into the air. "Flight!" he yelled as he slammed into the ground on top of Cecil. Cecil kicked him off of him and jumped back into the air. He noticed Griffin running at him out of the corner of his eye and dropped to the ground, encased in his dark knight armor. He blocked Griffin's attack and followed it with a vertical dark slash.

"Burn, dark wave!" he yelled as he punched Griffin back into a wall with a dark punch.

"Cecil!" Pierce yelled as he jumped into the air. He raised his blade above his head, but Cecil kicked him in the stomach. Pierce back-flipped and landed on his feet unsteadily.

"Father, end this now!" Ceodore yelled as he threw his sword at his father. Cecil batted it away and dashed forward, changing back to his paladin attire. He held his son off the ground by his throat as Ava and Kain readied to attack. Ceodore whirled around, kicking his father in the face and jumping away from him. Ava cast a tornado to chase Cecil, but the king quickly sent it crashing back at her. Ava tried to dodge, but still got hit. She hit the floor and slid to a stop on her stomach. She lay there, too weak to move. Cecil laughed evilly as he looked around. Griffin was lying against the wall, and Ava was on the ground. Pierce and Kain readied to attack again, but Ceodore was uneasy. They both attacked together, Kain jumping into the air and Pierce going beneath the hovering Cecil.

Pierce got right beneath him and put both hands flat on the ground. He used his upper body and put his legs up into the air, and in the same motion, shot upward, kicking Cecil toward the ceiling and Kain, who was waiting. "Across the heavens! Bow down!" he yelled as he kicked Cecil down and threw his lance. Cecil crashed to the ground, but got up without hesitation.

He clashed blades with Pierce and managed to push him back. Pierce hit a pillar, temporarily dazed. Ceodore rushed forward again, this time alone with Kain.

Cecil smirked as he stared at his son and best friend. "This battle is over." he told them. **(end Battle with the four fiends)**

"No, brother. It has just begun." Golbez announced as the doors were thrown open again. He strode in with two people just behind him.

"Just like Kain to start without us, eh Rydia?" Edge laughed, looking around the room. He readied his shuriken, preparing to throw it. Rydia raised her eyebrows.

"To think we left this up to them. Good thing we're here." she replied. Golbez smiled.

"Cecil, we have come to free you." he told his brother. **(FFIV Fight 2, Dissidia)**

Cecil turned to Kain. "So you offer their lives in exchange for yours?" he asked. Kain smirked.

"Of course not. I offer yours." he told him. With a yell, Edge threw his shuriken. Cecil blocked it, only to be knocked back by a Thundaga from Rydia. Golbez appeared behind him and sent him flying forward, where Kain was waiting.

"Rumble!" he yelled as he twirled his lance. A blade of light sprung up from the ground, sending him flying to the ceiling, where Ceodore.

"Down!" he yelled, kicking him with both feet and sending him crashing to the ground. Cecil groaned as he stood up, only to see Pierce running up and back-flip, kicking him in the process. He flew back onto his throne, but quickly jumped up again.

"Stay down, Cecil!" Edge yelled as he drew his swords and charged. He locked them with Cecil's and held them there. Cecil stared at him angrily as he changed to his dark knight attire and shot dark fire from his free hand. Edge jumped into the air to avoid it, giving Golbez a chance to send lightning shooting up from underneath Cecil. The king changed back to paladin and charged for his son. Rydia quickly got in the way and shot him back with an herbal spell. He frowned angrily as they surrounded him. Pierce, Ava, and Griffin were on their feet by now, too.

"This ends now, Cecil!" Rydia yelled, summoning Leviathan. The sea dragon quickly flew toward Cecil and struck the final blow. **(end Battle 2)**

Cecil stumbled backward, the darkness coming off of him in waves. He screamed in agony as it completely left him. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily. He slowly looked up. "Kain….? Ceodore…..? Golbez…..? What are you all doing here?" he asked them, struggling to his feet.

"So you have broken my hold over him….." echoed a female voice around the room.

"Who's there?!" Pierce demanded.

"I should have known….." Golbez muttered. Kain sighed. Out of nowhere, a young woman resembling Rydia appeared.

"I am the true master of Baron, and I will have the Crystals. With all of them, I can destroy the corrupt Council!" she declared. The rest of the party backed away, but Kain stepped forward.

"Not if I strike you down." he boldly stated. She laughed evilly as she motioned someone toward him.

Out of the shadowy ceiling dropped a figure in armor. He held a lance in hand, and his armor was shaped like that of a dragon's. "So this is your game." Kain told the girl. She smiled.

"He'll keep you busy long enough for me to get away. Have fun, dragoon!" she exclaimed, vanishing. Kain turned to his dark self.

"This time, there's no getting away." he said. Dark Kain smiled.

"Funny. I was about to say the same thing." he muttered. Both prepared for battle, and the others stepped back, knowing this was Kain's fight. **(FFIV Battle 1, Dissidia 012)**

Both dashed forward simultaneously and collided. Kain groaned as he fell back. Dark Kain pressed forward immediately and thrust his lance toward his opponent. Kain flipped over the lance and stepped on it. He dashed forward, holding his lance outward. He then kicked Dark Kain up into the air and dashed after him. Dark Kain threw his lance through the air, and Kain spun to dodge it.

Dark Kain dashed toward him and grabbed him, before throwing him into the ground. Kain quickly stood back up and looked up, where his dark counterpart was waiting. "Is this really the best you can do? No wonder you're not a Holy Dragoon yet." he smirked. Kain grit his teeth.

"I've more than enough strength to defeat you, mockery!" he yelled angrily as he dashed up through the air. Suddenly, he began to be enveloped in a blinding light.

"What?!" Dark Kain exclaimed. The light covered Kain for several seconds as he connected to his dark self and shot him through the ceiling, before following him up into the open air.

"Let me ease your pain!" Kain yelled as the light disappeared. In place of his purple helmet and armor, he now wore bright blue and white armor. He wore no helmet.

"Impossible!" Dark Kain yelled as Kain dashed upward at breakneck speeds.

"Heavenward!" he yelled, shooting up into the clouds. Dark Kain tried to dash back to the castle, but Kain shot down out of the clouds. "This is the pride of a Holy Dragoon!" he roared as he met Dark Kain in mid-air. They both crashed back down into the throne room with a thunderous crash. **(end Battle 1)**

Dark Kain lay on the floor, groaning feebly. Light began to ebb away at him, eating away his body. "You were never meant to exist." Kain told him calmly. Dark Kain reached out a hand to his real self. Kain slowly reached out and took it. With that, the rest of the dark Kain vanished.

"Nice one, Kain!" Pierce yelled. Griffin and Ava cheered. Golbez crossed his arms and smiled. Edge, Rydia, and Cecil walked up to Kain and congratulated him.

"So what now?" Cecil asked, turning to the rest of the group. Pierce shrugged.

"Well, you're still a member of the Council. Any information you could get could be very useful." he suggested. Cecil smiled.

"You can count on me." he promised. They all turned to Kain, staring at his new armor.

"It's a good look for you, Kain." Rydia told him, punching him on the shoulder. Kain smiled slightly and looked at it.

"Thanks." he told her. Pierce smiled.

"So you're Holy now? Does that mean we have to start bowing to you?" he asked, smiling. Kain shook his head as they all laughed.

"Where do we go from here?" Griffin asked. Ava shrugged her shoulders.

"Right now I just wanna see the camp and sleep." she said, exhausted. Pierce smiled.

"Sounds like a plan." he told her. Cecil, Edge, Rydia, and Golbez all turned to Kain.

"You're not staying, are you?" Cecil guessed. Kain shook his head.

"I promised Jack that I would protect them. I intend to honor that." he explained. They nodded.

"Well, if you need us, please forget to call on us." Edge told him, laughing. Kain smiled. Rydia nodded.

"Seriously, though, you know where to find us." she told him. Kain nodded. He and Cecil held each other's forearms.

"See you soon." Cecil told him. Kain nodded.

"Count on it." he replied, turning and heading for the door. Just as Pierce, Griffin, Ava, and Kain opened the doors to leave, Rayne and Luriel rushed in with weapons raised. They looked at Cecil, the others, and Kain's new armor, and slowly lowered them.

"Alright, what did we miss?" Luriel asked them disappointedly.

**If you all review in the next couple hours, I'll work on the next one. See ya!**


	14. Ch 14: Ambush

**Wow, guys! We got six reviews in like, an hour! Holy crap, people! Well, I promised, so I have to deliver….. Shout outs:**

**Gohan Roxas: Yeah, they missed it, lol! **

**TheEighthLight: Don't worry, it's coming!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, yeah! I don't know! Thanks, and I agree! I'll try that!**

**Celeron96: They did…crap! I never played TAY, just the original. Herald loves it, though. Rydia was just a cameo, though. **

**AngelicWinds: Lol, pretty much! Yes, they did! **

**13TheAce: Yeah, nothing's ever easy, lol!**

**You know what belongs to who! Here's the earned chapter, as promised. Enjoy!**

Chapter 14: Ambush

FUGITIVES' CAMPSITE….

The group was enjoying the quiet afternoon. Rayne was in the ship, checking the engines. Something had malfunctioned on their flight back. Griffin was with her, helping however he could. "Screwdriver." she said, and he handed her said tool. He looked out the window at their campfire, where the rest of the group was.

Kain sat stiffly, alert and watching the forest. Pierce sat next to him for a while, but got bored eventually. Ava and Luriel were around the fire, both watching Pierce and occasionally glancing at each other angrily.

Pierce yawned and stood up. After stretching, he sighed and looked at Kain. "I'm gonna do a perimeter check." he told him. The newly anointed Holy Dragoon nodded, and Pierce walked away. No sooner had he gone out of earshot than the girls turned on each other.

"Quit watching!" Ava shrieked. Luriel glared.

"Quit gawking at him!" she yelled back. Ava gasped angrily.

"I don't gawk at him! You don't even know him! Why do you want him?!" she shrieked. Lulu smiled.

"I don't have to know him to know I want him." she argued. Ava shook her head in disgust.

"I'm his friend. He knows me already, so grow up, _whore_!" she yelled. Lulu gasped at her.

"Just because I was in a brothel does not make me a whore! What makes you think he likes you?! Did he tell you that? Of course not, so shut up, you dumb brawd!" she shrieked furiously. Ava screamed and lunged forward, her nails aimed for Lulu's face, who in turn was throwing a fist at her face.

"Enough!" Kain yelled, appearing between them. He held them by the collar, one in each hand. "Are you teenagers, or are you children?" he asked them. Both girls struggled, trying to reach each other to attack. He sighed as he dragged them into the ship.

"What's going on?!" Rayne screamed at them. Kain dropped them on the floor and walked out. Rayne tried to stop the fight as the two girls screamed, kicked, bit, scratched, and pulled hair as they rolled across the floor. Griffin stepped back in utter shock, not knowing what to do. "Stop this now!" Rayne yelled furiously. She tried to pull them apart, but ended up getting sucked down into the chaos. "KAIN!" she screamed angrily.

Kain laughed quietly as he sat back down at his spot, watching the forest. "Pierce sure is taking a while…." he muttered.

FOREST SURROUNDING THE CAMPSITE…..

"Is everyone in place?" whispered Braig to his troops. His lieutenant nodded.

"Yes, sir. We've got them surrounded, but we're staying a good distance away until the Rikkison boy shows himself." he replied. Braig smiled.

"Good. He's our main target." he muttered as a man in black leather silently crept up to the tree next to him. "Gisborne, are your men in place?" he asked. Gisborne silently drew his sword and nodded. "Good, now we wait." Braig told them.

ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST…..

Pierce sighed as he walked through the forest, his Keyblade hanging casually at his side. He picked up a stick and swung it around calmly. "It seems clear…." he muttered. He threw the stick farther into the forest and heard it hit the leaves. He turned and began to make his way back.

Little did he know that he was being followed. If he had been more experienced, he would have noticed the bent grass around him and the broken branches, not to mention the footprints in the mud around him. It was the sound of a twig snapping that brought him to a stop.

He whirled around, his Keyblade ready. For several seconds, he heard and saw nothing. But that was when he realized it: the absolute silence. No birds were singing, no insects were chirping, or anything. He suddenly saw movement farther back, and took off running for the camp.

CAMPSITE…

"What are you doing?! I said wait for the Rikkison twerp!" Braig yelled as most of his troops came crashing through the trees. His troops ignored him and ran into the clearing. He sighed angrily and followed, Gisborne right behind him.

Pierce gasped as he ran into the clearing. **(Timely Ambush extended, Crisis Core)**

Over a hundred of the Council's soldiers were attacking the camp. Ava and Luriel were in plain view, standing back to back. He quickly ran toward them. Kain landed on the ground, sending a shockwave out that knocked away a dozen soldiers. "Pierce!" he yelled, but quickly blocked a sword strike from Gisborne, who had engaged him.

Rayne leaped off the top of the ship, her hands glowing with magic. With a flick of her wrist, a wave of ice covered everything within twenty yards from her. She landed just a second before Griffin, who ran forward. He tossed his Keyblade into the air and pulled out his knife. His Keyblade transformed into a black wolf that leaped on an advancing soldier. He quickly ran forward and tackled another soldier, swinging his knife.

Ava blocked a sword meant for her and pushed her attacker away. Lulu threw a sickle at a soldier a few yards away and caught it as it came back to her hand. She smiled as she quickly took down a pair in front of her. She frowned when an arrow shot into her right thigh. She gasped in pain, but had to ignore it as another four soldiers came at her.

"Enough of this!" Pierce yelled. He came running through the chaos. He jumped over one soldier, rolled under another one's swing, spun around a third, and cut his way through a dozen more before reaching the girls. He cut through the four in front of Lulu in one swift motion. He quickly yanked the arrow out of her leg. "To the ship, go! I'll cover you!" he told them both. Ava continued fighting as they formed a small circle and slowly made their way toward the ship.

Kain twirled his lance, keeping Gisborne at bay. The man threw his hand into the air. "To me!" he yelled. Immortals poured out of nowhere and surrounded Kain.

"So you too can call them?" Kain questioned, cutting down those that came near him. Gisborne smiled evilly.

"I'm the right hand of a Council member, so yes. Today is the day your little group dies." he declared, readying his sword again. Kain twirled his lance over his shoulders, clearing out the area around him within a five foot radius.

Griffin called his wolf back to him, which returned to blade form. Holding his Keyblade in his right hand and his knife in his left, he charged furiously. He threw his knife, sticking one soldier in the chest, and knocked another's legs out with his Keyblade. Arrows started pouring from nowhere, and he quickly rolled back to cover. He threw his Keyblade into the air, which transformed into an eagle and flew toward where the arrows were coming from.

Braig smiled as the eagle came, but couldn't shoot it down. "Damn kid!" he yelled, jumping out of his tree right as the eagle knocked it down with a crash. He landed and rolled out of the way of its talons and quickly fired three arrows. Two hit its eyes, and a third went into its mouth. Griffin, who was mentally controlling it, flew back into the ship as his eagle exploded. Angrily, he summoned his Keyblade back to his hand and turned to more soldiers coming at him.

Pierce fired a Thundaga in front of him, knocking another dozen soldiers back. They had almost reached the ship by now. Lulu had one sickle back in her sheath. She had one hand clutching her thigh, but with her other sickle and hand she was still fighting. Ava did the most work. She cast an earth spell and sent a row of advancing soldiers flying backward. She quickly brought her blade up to stop a sword strike coming for her, and pushed the attacker back with a kick. Pierce knocked away an arrow intended for Luriel with his blade and pushed her inside. "Stay low!" he yelled at her. She nodded, clutching her thigh in pain.

He looked over to see a barrage of arrows headed straight for Ava. "Get down!" he yelled, tackling her to the ground just as the arrows came shooting past.

"Thanks!" she yelled over the noise. They quickly stood back and kept fighting.

"How are the others?!" Pierce yelled, punching a soldier in the face. Ava looked around while casting Blizzaga.

"Kain's fighting Gisborne! Griffin's still fighting, but I don't see Rayne!" she told him. He sighed.

"Stay close to the ship! I'll find her!" he told her. She nodded as he jumped onto the top of the ship and looked around her.

He finally saw her, close to the forest, fighting alone. He saw a man in golden armor with arrowguns aiming for her. "RAYNE!" he screamed, leaping through the air to protect her.

With a final blow, Kain knocked Gisborne off his feet. He stumbled back to his feet, clutching his face. "This isn't over!" he warned, running around and heading for the forest. Kain smiled, when he heard a scream. He quickly dashed toward the ship, where the fighting was the thickest.

He found Ava pinned to the ship wall, arrows through both arms. Two soldiers were approaching her, and she could do nothing. She gasped as they raised their swords, but they suddenly fell to the ground. Kain quickly pulled the arrows out and carried her inside the ship.

Griffin was getting pushed back slowly. Despite the spells he was casting, there were simply too many to take down. When the arrows started flying again, he had no choice but to retreat.

Pierce landed behind Rayne just in time to deflect the arrows. "Thanks!" she yelled. Brother and sister looked at the tide of soldiers heading for them. "We'll never take on this many!" she gasped, breathing hard. Pierce nodded, gasping for breath.

"Get to the ship! I'll meet you there! We've gotta get out of here!" he told her. She looked at him.

"But….!" she began.

"GO!" he yelled at her. She nodded, and leaped into the air. She cleared most of the mob, and landed amongst the back with a crash that cleared the area. She quickly ran into the ship, passing Kain and Griffin, who were still fighting.

"Everyone in! We've gotta go!" she told them. Griffin turned and ran inside. With a final swing of his lance, Kain jumped onto the ramp as the ship lifted up into the sky.

Pierce was the only one still fighting. Although surrounded, he fought the best he could. He knocked a dozen away with Thundaga, and turned to kick another one away from him. When Braig started covering his area with arrows, he began to lose. Surrounded by soldiers, an arrow stuck him in the left leg. He yanked it out and kept fighting, but one struck him in the back a moment later. He slowed to a halt, and another stuck his right arm, knocking his Keyblade away. He held up his left fist and still punched one more away, before feeling something hit him in the back of the head. He fell to his knees, and his face smacked the ground a second later. Everything went black and he knew no more. **(end Timely Ambush)**

"Pierce!" the group yelled from above.

"We have to go get him!" Ava exclaimed.

"There's no we would even be able to land in that. It's too late." Kain told her, albeit angrily. Griffin and Lulu looked out the window as Rayne reluctantly flew the ship into the sky, heading for the Lanes.

Braig smiled as he walked up to the clearing. Gisborne had hit Pierce in the head with the hilt of his sword and knocked him out. "Nice one, Gizzy. Change of plan, runts! We're taking a hostage instead of a corpse! I'm sure Lorans will love having this one in his dungeon! Take him away!" he told his remaining troops. He had come with 200, but only about 50 were still standing.

"Those fugitives took out almost all our men." Gisborne muttered as they walked back to their ship, two of their soldiers carrying the unconscious Pierce. Braig smiled.

"All the more reason to give him to Lorans. The harder he fought, the more struggle he'll give when he tortures him." he explained. Gisborne smiled.

LANES BETWEEN…..

"What do we do now?" Griffin asked. They were sitting at their meeting table. He, Lulu, and Ava looked to Rayne and Kain, who were next in charge.

"We know where they'll be taking him." Kain replied. Rayne nodded.

"We go to Radiant Garden and rescue him." she told them. Everyone but Kain had at least one arrow wound.

"First, everyone gets patched up. We have plenty of medical supplies. We only get one shot at this. We'd better be prepared." Kain advised them.

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL CHAMBER…

Braig and Gisborne walked into the room, still battle-worn and sweaty. "You had better have good news, Braig." Lorans said. He was obviously in a very foul mood.

"What happened?" he asked them. Xehanort cleared his throat before throwing something on the ground in front of them. He bent over and picked it up. It was a note with one line.

"_The Rikkisons still live, morons." _

"Marek…." Braig muttered, throwing the note back on the ground.

"HE TOOK SORIAH!" Lorans bellowed furiously. Braig took a few steps back. He decided not to ask what he was thinking, which was:

"_How does a Rikkison get in the castle AND rescue a prisoner AND get back out without getting seen?" _

"Well, it hasn't been a completely bad day." he said brightly. Lorans, Mika, Vasey, Xehanort, Mickey, Arthur, and Cecil all turned to look at him. Braig motioned to Gisborne, who walked to the door.

Throwing open the doors, two soldiers came in, dragging the now conscious Pierce. Lorans slowly smiled and stood up. "Well done, Braig. Today….is a good day." he said evilly.

**DUH-DUH-DUH! What did ya think? I did drag the battle out a little bit, but it's not too long, is it? **


	15. Ch 15: Captive

**What's up! Shout outs:**

**Celeron96: Well I didn't wanna injure anyone that bad, lol. Lol! eah, but you know Marek. He won't show himself until he has to! **

**AngelicWinds: Lol, yep! Haha, thanks! **

**13TheAce: I told you the romance would get complicated, lol! Yes, I did! Pierce has to have his first meeting with Lorans, doesn't he?!**

**TheEigththLight: Happy now? Lol!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Yep, he did! I probably won't bring him back since I brought him back for The Final War, even though he is my favorite "villain" of the KH series. If they don't bring him back for KH3, I'm gonna riot. **

**Gohan Roxas: Thanks! I just felt like it kinda dragged, but I'm glad it was good!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, thanks! Pretty much, lol! Thanks! I'm glad you think so! Yeah, he is! Ha, well that won't help him escape! You'll see! I hope I make you proud!**

** Alright. I own Lorans and the Rikkisons. AngelicWinds owns Ava, TheEighthLight owns Griffin, and The Unknowing Herald owns Shin, the young man who appears in this chapter. Anyone else is the property of Disney, Square Enix, or BBC. **

Chapter 15: Captive

It was pitch black in the holding room where he awoke. It didn't matter if he opened his eyes or kept them closed, because it was the same either way. He didn't know how long he had been in there, but it could have weeks for all he knew. The wounds he had from the recent battle had not been treated, and the open wounds burned like fire. His arms were chained above his head, and his legs were chained to the left and right, respectively. No one had been in to see him, and no one had come to rescue him. He breathed deeply, trying to wet his dry mouth with his tongue, which was as dry as sandpaper.

He didn't know how long he stood there, but suddenly he was forced to shut his eyes tightly as lights turned on. Blinding light filled the room, and he realized that there was a blindfold over his eyes. He heard heavy footsteps walking toward him, and braced himself. He could feel the person reaching toward him, and flinched. But, instead of the strike he expected, the person merely pulled off his blindfold. He glared in anger as he stared up at the person in front of him. It was none other than Lorans, although he had only ever seen him once. The man wore his white cloak like always, hiding his face except his mouth and chin. But Pierce could see two claw marks on the bit of face shown. Lorans smiled at him. "We have much to discuss." he told him.

RADIANT GARDEN MARKETPLACE...

"We should have left her at the ship!" Ava whispered furiously to Rayne and Kain, referring to Luriel. The green-haired girl was taking no care to be conspicuous. She had her hood off and was running through the shops carelessly. Griffin shook his head and ignored her. Kain sighed while Rayne chased after her. They each had a long cloak on, with hoods covering their faces.

"Where's Leon?" Ava asked the dragoon. Kain looked around.

"I don't know. We need to find someone who can tell us how to get into the castle, though." he told her. She nodded and walked up to a hat vendor with Griffin.

Kain sighed as Rayne came back a second later dragging the protesting Lulu. "This isn't a pleasure trip! We're in the Council's capital!" she scolded her angrily. Lulu rolled her eyes.

"Get off my back, grandma!" she yelled. Rayne put her hand over the girl's mouth as Kain pulled them into the shadows. Not ten seconds later, a group of Council soldiers walked past. Ava and Griffin quickly backed down an alley in order to disappear. The soldiers began searching each of the shops, holding pictures of each of their faces.

"Have you seen any of these people?!" they exclaimed. The shop owners looked at the faces and reluctantly nodded. "Where?!" the captain demanded. One of them slowly pointed at the corner of the market where Rayne, Kain, and Lulu were.

"Damn..." Rayne muttered as the soldiers quickly moved to surround them.

"Thought you could hide, did you?" the captain smirked as they readied their swords. The three quickly readied their weapons. **(Black Garden, Birth by Sleep)**

"Down!" yelled Griffin. The group dove to the ground as the red head's Keyblade transformed into a lion and pounced on top of most of the guards. The guards screamed and quickly scattered, but their captain stood bravely.

"You won't get away so easily!" he yelled as Griffin and Ava joined the other three. He held up his hand, and Immortals appeared around them. Kain quickly dashed into a group of them and swung his lance in a circle. Ava and Rayne charged together while Lulu threw her sickles in two different directions. Griffin jumped onto the back of his lion and glowed with fire. His eyes began to glow pure red and he roared like the beast he was riding. He charged for the captain, who ran in terror.

The Immortals surrounded the group, and there seemed to be no end to them. Rayne knocked a group away with an earth spell, but more immediately replaced them. "Are you idiots really this stupid?!" yelled a voice suddenly. A dozen Immortals suddenly fell to the ground, sliced in half. One standing right in front of Lulu was kicked away by a young man holding a unique sword.

"Who are you?!" she gasped as she sliced one in half with her sickle. He shook his head as he cast a Fire spell.

"Later!" he told her. He gasped as his spell died out before doing anything. "Crap, stupid magic!" he muttered, raising his sword to knock an advancing Immortal away.

"Gisborne, we're almost to the market! I need you here ASAP!" yelled Braig's voice from above the market.

"We have to get out of here before he sees us!" Kain yelled. The young man nodded.

"Follow me!" he yelled, heading for the alley where Ava and Griffin had hidden. He stopped at the gate and looked back to see none of them following. "Wake up, idiots! Do you wanna get caught?!" he yelled at them. Kain sighed and quickly followed. The others took this as a sign to trust him. The boy quickly shut the gate as everyone got into the alley.

"Where to now?!" Griffin gasped, holding his Keyblade ready. The boy opened a door to their right.

"Inside, now!" he told them. They all quickly rushed inside, and he shut the door as Braig, Gisborne, and the guards poured into the marketplace. **(end Black Garden)**

COUNCIL CHAMBERS, HOLDING ROOM... **(Strange Whispers, Birth by Sleep)**

Pierce glared at Lorans angrily as he fought against the chains holding him. "There's nothing to talk about!" he spat. Lorans smiled as he crossed his arms and stood a few feet in front of the teen.

"Quite the contrary, little Rikkison. You remain ignorant of everything. I intend to open your eyes." he replied. Pierce angrily continued to fight his restraints, but could not break free.

"There's nothing I don't already know! You killed my parents, my master, Riku, too! You killed Terra, Sora, Lea, and Eraqus! You're just a scheming murderer who wants absolute power for his own gain!" he yelled furiously. Lorans smiled slightly.

"Indeed, I killed those deserving death, and it is true that I seek absolute power. But, I do not seek it for my own gain. That is where you are wrong, my boy." he told him. Pierce spat at Lorans' feet.

"I'm not your boy! I will kill you, I swear it!" he roared. Lorans just shook his head,

"You remain ignorant of your lineage, boy. You know nothing of what the Rikkisons have been destined to do for centuries." he told him. This stopped Pierce short.

"My father...and grandfather were heroes! I am proud to be a Rikkison! You will never get me to shake my faith in my father!" he yelled angrily. His voice was breaking up due to the lack of water in his throat. Lorans sighed as he walked toward him and put a glass of water to his lips. Despite his anger, Pierce drank thirstily.

After draining the glass, Lorans stepped back and the two stared at each other. "You think so highly of your lineage. How pitiful that I am to be the one who opens your eyes. None of your ancestors did anything heroic or worth remembering. Jason was the first to change. He and Jack were merely new leaves in the stained history of the Rikkisons. In the end, they too changed nothing. Your road ends at the same destination." he explained calmly, summoning his Keyblade and holding it to Pierce's throat. Pierce stared at him, showing no sign of fear. For several moments, the villain debated whether to do it or not. In the end, he lowered his blade and stared at it. "No, not yet. First you will watch your friends die. You will watch as I raise up an empire to behold in these last glorious days! My reign shall secure itself before the time of the Ultimate Purge begins!" he declared. With that, he turned and left the room.

"What are you talking about?! LORANS!" Pierce yelled, but he was ignored as the door shut behind the villain. He sighed and stared at the floor. **(end Strange Whispers)**

GAIA...

"Cloud, we have to go!" Zack yelled, cutting down a Council soldier with his Buster sword. Cloud stared in fury as Xehanort led the charge that was overtaking the city of Edge.

"Lorans will pay for this!" he vowed. Zack pulled him away as countless of their friends fell to the sheer numbers of their enemies.

Xehanort smiled as he stepped out onto the balcony of the capitol building in Edge. "Citizens of Gaia, Cloud Strife is no longer your ruler. You look to me now! I am your new representative on the Council of Sovereigns. I will tolerate no insurrections! All of this is effective immediately!" he called out to the people around the building. He held up pictures of the group of known fugitives. "If you see any of these fugitives, you report it to one of officers immediately! That is all." he finished. He looked around and smiled evilly, observing his new world.

CAMELOT...

Arthur was sitting in his room at his table, staring at the wall. He had been thinking a lot about the Council lately. Agravaine talked to him continuously about trusting them, but Merlin always advised him otherwise. He didn't know who to trust. He sighed as Merlin walked into the room with his dinner on a silver plate. "Merlin, can I trust you?" he asked his servant. Merlin looked at him immediately.

"Of course, Arthur. I'll always be here for you." he promised. Arthur smiled at him and sighed.

"I don't know if I should keep Camelot allied with Lorans and the Council. I've seen a lot of questionable things lately. I've seen things done that I would openly question myself." he told him. Merlin nodded grimly.

"You know what my feelings are on the matter, Arthur. Lorans killed Jack, Terra, and the others. That's enough curious things for me. He's wrong, Arthur. I know your uncle tells you otherwise, but I do not, nor will I ever, trust him." he told his king. Arthur nodded slowly, before turning to the window and staring outside, not knowing what to think.

COUNCIL CHAMBERS...

Lorans smiled as he took his seat. The rest of the Council except for Arthur and Xehanort were gathered there already. "I've decided that it is time to end this facade." he told them.

"What do you mean, Lorans?" Mike questioned him warily. Lorans smiled.

"This Council is no democracy. I formed this table with one goal in mind. This Council will set up a supreme empire, ruled by me! I will be the absolute ruler of all the worlds!" he revealed. Mika, Vasey, Cecil, and Mickey gasped in shock.

"Then what was the purpose of this "democracy?" Mickey asked him. Lorans smiled evilly.

"Do not fret. Those absolutely loyal to me will still hold positions of power. After all, I cannot be on every single world at the same time." he assured them.

"This is not what we agreed, Lorans." Mika told him. Lorans turned to him.

"Something you'd like to say, old man?" he asked. Mika quickly shook his head. The villain smiled and nodded.

"Good, that is all. Now I need to go find out just how much the little brat knows." he told them, standing up and walking back to the holding room.

HOUSE NEAR THE MARKETPLACE...

"It's not much, but it'll be safe for a little bit." the boy told them as he led them through the small house. Kain, Rayne, and the others put away their weapons as he led them into a living room with a fireplace. There were a few pieces of furniture, and in one of the chairs was a young woman a few years older than Ava and Lulu. She wore a red dress and tan leggings.

"My name's Terra Branford, but you can just call me Terra." she greeted, standing up and shaking their hands.

"And I'm Shin." the boy introduced, leaning his sword against the wall.

"Rayne Rikkison." Rayne introduced. She gestured to her group. "This is Ava, Luriel, Griffin, and Kain." she introduced.

"Not to sound like a jerk, but you guys are pretty stupid coming here." Shin told them. Terra sighed at him and looked over at them.

"What he means is that this is the capital of the Council, and they have guards everywhere." she told them.

"They have my brother." Rayne told her. Terra gasped and looked at Shin, who crossed his arms.

"Well, he'll be in the castle. That's the safest place to keep a level 5 fugitive like a Rikkison." he told them.

"We know. We're looking for a way inside." Ava explained. Shin exchanged a look with Terra and sighed.

"There's only one way inside, and no one knows the way but me." he told them.

"Will you take us there?" Kain asked him. Shin scratched the back of his neck and looked at Terra.

"I still think you're a bunch of idiots, but you're bold. I'll give you that much. I'll take you there, but once you're inside, you're on your own." he told them.

"Agreed. Thanks for the aid." Kain told him.

"We leave when you're ready." Rayne told him. Shin nodded, picking up his sword and sliding it into a sheath on his back.

"Let's go." he told them.

"I'll stay here with anyone who doesn't want to go." Terra told them. Shin nodded and turned to the two adults.

"The less people you bring, the less likely you are to get detected." he told them. They looked at each other and sighed.

"We'll leave the girls here. We can't afford them getting into a fight in there. We'll take Griffin with us." Rayne decided.

HOLDING ROOM, COUNCIL CHAMBERS...

Pierce looked up as Lorans walked back into the room. "Tell me what you know." he immediately said. There was no "nice guy" facade in his voice now.

"What are you talking about?" Pierce asked him innocently. Lorans shook his head as he walked up and punched him in the stomach. Pierce gasped and struggled to breathe as Lorans cracked his knuckles.

"Who is the traitor on my Council? Who is in your group of rebels? Where is Marek?!" he roared furiously. Pierce shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know anything." he told him bravely. Lorans grabbed onto Pierce's shirt and yanked hard. The black hooded shirt ripped off of Pierce's body, and Lorans tore it to shreds and threw it to the ground. His vest was against the wall with his shoes and whatever other belongings he had when he was captured.

"You are not Jack Rikkison. You never will be!" Lorans yelled as he punched him in the face. Pierce coughed for several seconds, before lurching forward and spitting blood onto the floor.

"I'm not my father, you're right. I'm my own person, idiot!" he yelled back. Lorans roared in anger as he punched him in the stomach again. Pierce gasped for breath as Lorans summoned a ball of fire to his hand. He held it up to Pierce's face.

"You think you're like your father. Well, why don't I give a closer resemblance?!" he yelled maniacally as he slammed the ball of fire onto the left side of Pierce's face.

Pierce screamed in agony for several minutes as Lorans took his hand away and stepped back. Pierce's face had smoke coming off, shrouding most of his face. "I'll be back with more. Hopefully, you'll be ready to talk by the time I come back." Lorans told him as he walked out of the door.

He breathed deeply and gasped for air, occasionally groaning in pain from his burning face. "Dad...am I not capable of doing anything?" he asked the empty room. He looked down at the remains of the hooded shirt that had belonged to his father and began to cry from his non-injured eye.

_"Pierce."_ said a voice. **(Jack's Theme 1{Final Hour by X-ray Dog}**

He slowly looked up, recognizing the voice. "Dad?" he called out. The transparent form of his father had appeared out of nowhere and was pacing back and forth in front of him.

_"I'm here, son. Don't believe what he says. Trust me, whatever happened in the past doesn't matter anymore. It's the present that counts now. Don't waste the gifts I've given you. You were never meant to be a clone of me. That ruined shirt represents your connection to me. It is still there, but it is not needed anymore. You are a wanderer all your own. This is your time. Free yourself, escape, and get the others out of here. You aren't the Council's only prisoner. You must be a witness to Lorans' evil. Now is the time, son. Go!" _he spoke.

"Dad, wait!" Pierce called out, but Jack was already gone. He sighed, breathing deeply. He wrapped his arms around the chains holding him and breathed slowly. He began to pull with all of his might. He groaned in effort, and suddenly light appeared all around him, and he snapped the chains into pieces. He tore the chains off of his legs and slowly stepped forward. He had no shirt on, but grabbed his vest and other belongings and headed for the door.

SEWER ENTRANCE... **(end Jack's Theme 1)**

"This is where I leave you." Shin told the three of them. They nodded at him. "Good luck. You're gonna need it." he told them, heading back the way they came. Rayne, Kain, and Griffin began making their way through the sewers. They had not been travelling long when they heard sounds of fighting above them. Kain pushed them all back as a guard came crashing down through the floor. Pierce dropped down a moment later, bloody and shirtless. He quickly raised his blade, before realizing it was them.

"Guys?" he asked slowly. Rayne smiled despite seeing the makeshift bandage covering half of his face and ran up and hugged him. "We gotta go." Pierce told them weakly.

"What's going on?" Griffin asked.

"Lorans...knows." Pierce panted. Kain's eyes widened.

"We leave, now!" he yelled.

"We've gotta get Ava and Lulu!" Rayne yelled as they made their way out into the city.

MARKETPLACE...

"Pierce!" yelled Ava as she and Luriel came running out of the alleyway.

"Where's the ship?!" Pierce asked urgently.

"Outside the city! But they've got us trapped!" Rayne told him as guards appeared on all sides. Braig smiled as he walked out from among the horde.

"This is as far as ya get, kiddos!" he told them, bringing out his arrowguns. **(The Threat, Dissidia 012)**

Pierce was struggling to stay on his feet by now.

"We can't beat this many!" Lulu yelled, holding her sickles ready. Griffin was ready to fight, but Kain was the one to step forward.

"Get Pierce to the ship. If I'm not there in time, leave without me." he told them.

"No way!" Lulu yelled. She stepped up next to him.

"You guys go! We'll hold 'em here!" she told them. Kain smiled at her.

"I never took you for the selfless type." he told her as the others ran for the ship. She smiled.

"I never took you for a group person." he laughed slightly.

"Well said." he told her as they both charged. He shot up into the air and sent a tornado spiraling into the midst of the guards. Braig hovered in the air and kept him away with arrows. Lulu swung her sickles faster than most guards could blink, taking out a dozen in only a few seconds. She tossed one into the air and cast a spell. A giant flower bloomed out of it and sprayed poison at the horde. Many fell to the ground coughing, but more than could be counted still came at them.

Kain landed next to her. "There's no end to them." he muttered. She sighed, catching her breath.

"How long do those slowpokes need?!" she gasped, readying for another bout.

"How about I add to your numbers?!" yelled a voice familiar to Kain. A figure in a black cloak landed among the guards and quickly took out a large group with a Light spell. He held his Keyblade backhand and showed great skill with it. He held up his hand, and a dozen pillars of light shot up around him, clearing the area.

"You!" Braig yelled angrily, shooting an arrow at the man's head. He rolled under it, his hood falling back. His blonde hair shone in the sunlight as he threw his Keyblade and knocked Braig out of the air. **(end The Threat)**

"Ven!" Kain yelled as the blonde jumped over to them.

"Sorry it took me so long. Things to do, you know?" he told the dragoon. The ship flew over them and flew in low.

"Quickly!" Kain yelled. He held out his hand, and Lulu jumped onto his hand. She jumped up and landed on the ramp, which had been lowered. Kain jumped inside, quickly followed by Ven, who looked back and stared at the wreckage before going inside. Braig sat up and grunted as he watched the ship fly up into the sky and disappear. He touched his wrist communicator, and Lorans answered.

_"Well? What news do you have for me, Braig?" _he asked.

"They got away." he replied.

_"Good...very good." _he said.

"Sir, are you sure about this?" Braig asked him, somewhat unsure. Lorans laughed evilly.

_"Don't worry, Braig. It's all a part of the plan..." _he muttered. Braig ended the transmission and stood up.

"Man, sometimes that guys is just downright creepy. Now all that's left to do is find that fool, Marek. Geez, that's gonna be a lot of fun..." he muttered.

**Well, I hope you're satisfied with the chapter! If not, bite me! I'm pleased with it, since this chapter was over 4000 words! *parties***


	16. Ch 16: The New Camp

**What's up, everyone? Shout outs:**

**AngelicWinds: He's not deciding yet, lol! Yeah!**

**Celeron96: Lol, well he was in there for 3000 words! It won't be the last scene with him and Lorans, don't worry! Sorry, I forgot!**

**13TheAce: Is that ever a good thing, lol?**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Sounds like me, lol! Yes, he is! Yep, he is!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Remember to breathe, lol! You'll love it, I promise! I wanted him like that because he's the only guy that makes a believable hot head, lol. They will both change, I promise! Well, he's not Jack, lol! I know you can't, lol! Just like I can't wait for chapter 20 of Normalcy!**

**Alright, I own Lorans and the Rikkisons. AngelicWinds owns Ava. CELERON96 OWNS LURIEL ****. TheEighthLight owns Griffin. Herald owns Shin.**

Chapter 16: The New Camp

"Well, we should be safe here, at least for a while." Rayne muttered as she landed the ship in a forest clearing.

"What world is this?" Pierce asked her. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, but I didn't see any life forms for miles in any direction, so we're safe here." she promised. He nodded and walked back to the armory to find a shirt. Kain, Griffin, and Ven picked up the tents and walked out to set up their new campsite. Ava and Lulu stayed with Rayne for a few moments, waiting for Pierce. Rayne shook her head and shooed them outside.

"So how long have you guys been on the run?" Ven asked Kain as they set up one of the tents. Kain waited a moment to respond, stacking rocks in a circle to make a fire pit.

"Almost three months." he replied. Ven nodded slowly as Ava walked up to him.

"I'm glad you're alive, master." she told him, wrapping her arms around him. He smiled and hugged her back.

"I trust you've been practicing on your own and getting better?" he asked. She smiled and nodded.

"I bet I could take you down now, too." she told him smugly. He laughed quietly.

"Whatever you say." he told her as he turned back to the tent he was setting up. Lulu leaned against the side of the ship and watched the group. She couldn't help but think of her brother, and had been doing so a lot lately.

GUMMI SHIP, ARMORY…..

Pierce sighed as he stared at himself in the mirror. His white camo pants were still intact, but his black shirt had been ripped by Lorans. He only held one small piece of it now, and it was about two feet long and straight. He looked at himself and realized how much his appearance had changed. From his pitch black hair and the scar that now covered the left side of his face, to his bruised but fit upper body.

He sighed as he looked away and gazed around the room. His black vest hung on the back of a chair a few feet away. He sighed as he walked over to the rows of armor hanging on the wall. His old black shoes had been lost in the escape. Only the pants he had been wearing and the vest that he had managed to grab made it out. He needed a new outfit, one that he could call his own.

**(Pierce's Theme{To Glory, Two Steps From Hell})**

He slowly stepped up to the armor rack and picked up a shirt that caught his eye. He smiled slightly as he pulled it on. The shirt was skin tight. It was gray colored, but it had metallic pieces on the front, giving it an armored quality. He smirked as he picked up his vest, which he had just finished modifying before they landed.

His vest now differed from the original in one way. The wanderer's hood had been transplanted onto the vest itself. He put the vest on, but left it unzipped, unlike his previous outfit. He slowly put on his black gauntlets. He made sure that they were tight and the buckles were secure. He buckled his black belt, and slipped on a pair black boots with small spikes coming out of all sides.

He returned to the mirror and looked at who he was now. The black hair, the scar, the hooded vest, the gray shirt, the black gauntlets, the white camo pants, the black spiked boots. Yet, something was missing. He knew what it was.

He smiled slightly as he held up the fragment of Jack's original black shirt. He slowly reached up and tied it around his forehead, making it a headband. The tail trailed down, just barely reaching his collar. He flexed his fists inside his fingerless gloves and stared back at himself with determination. "This is me. This is who _I_ am. I am not Jack. I am _me_." he told himself calmly.

The entire group turned and stared as he slowly came walking down the ramp toward them in his new outfit. He looked at them and smirked. "God forgive Lorans, because heaven knows I _will_ kill him." he told them in determination. **(end Pierce's Theme)**

The group quickly gathered around him as he walked up to the fire. He looked at Ven. "So what news can you give us?" he asked him. Ven sighed.

"Xehanort has taken control of Gaia. Zack and Cloud have gone underground, but they've already started a resistance group. We'll need to help them soon. Lorans had Soriah in his holding room for the last several weeks, but apparently while Braig attacked your old camp, Marek broke in and rescued him. Lorans didn't even know he has been there until after you were delivered to him." he told them. The group digested this information.

"So right now, the Council consists of Lorans, Mika, Vasey, Mickey, and Arthur?" Lulu counted off on her fingers. Kain cleared his throat.

"Cecil is our spy on the Council. We have reason to believe that Arthur may yet be swayed to our cause, but as for the others, I cannot say." he told Ven.

"Mickey still believes in us. He's the one that saved my life. He's only siding with Lorans to protect his kingdom." Ven told them.

"We need to decide where our priorities are." Rayne put in.

"You'll have to start without me. There's something I need to do." Kain told them, abruptly standing up and walking out of the clearing.

"Okay….." Ava muttered, raising an eyebrow and looking at Pierce.

"Nice new look." she told him, smiling. He smiled back.

"Thanks. This one is my own. It's not an imitation of my father's." he explained. She nodded understandingly and looked back at the others.

"Cloud will need our help, but we also need to go to Camelot as soon as possible and see how far gone Arthur is. If we can pick off Lorans' allies first, then we might have a chance of taking him on." Griffin told them. Pierce nodded.

"I agree with Griffin. But before we go anywhere else, there's something that I want to do first." he told them. He stood up and offered his hand to Ven. "In any case, it's good to see you again. Welcome to the team, old man." he told him. Ven smirked and shook his head.

"You've still got a lot to learn, Pierce. Don't get cocky yet." he told him, standing up and walking away. For whatever reason, Griffin followed him. Rayne, Lulu, and Ava all looked at Pierce, though.

"What do you need to do?" Rayne asked him. He sighed.

"I need to see Dad's grave." he told them.

SPIRA, YEVON HQ….

Mika slowly walked through the dark hallways of Bevelle, where the temple of Yevon had been rebuilt. He passed long chasms and went down winding stairs, but eventually he got where he was heading.

He smiled as he approached the lone dark cell at the end of the dark hallway and stopped just in front of the bars. "Are you ready to give in yet?" he asked whoever was inside.

"I'm never gonna help an old geezer like you." muttered the voice of the man inside the cell. Mika sighed and shook his head.

"You think you have nothing else to lose, Tidus, but you are very wrong." he told his prisoner. The man lunged out of the shadows and reached through the bars, trying to grab at the man outside. His blonde hair was long and unkempt after being imprisoned for so long. His clothes were torn and tattered, and his face showed nothing but anger.

"I have nothing else! You…killed…..Yuna!" he yelled angrily, slamming his fists against the bars, trying to break out. Mika sighed.

"That was a necessary sacrifice. For Yevon to be resurrected, she had to become a martyr. Your friends Wakka, Rikku, Lulu, and Kimahri decided to rebel, as well. They brought about their own deaths. You have no one but yourself to blame for that." he told the man indifferently. Tidus stared at him in loathing.

"When I get out of here, I'm going to kill you, old man." he told him. Mika smiled and turned to walk away.

"Excuse me if I don't hold my breath." he muttered as he walked back the way he had come.

FUGITIVES' CAMPSITE…..

"What's up, Griffin?" Ven asked. He had been bending over to pick up some firewood when he noticed the red head watching him. Griffin shrugged and picked up a few sticks.

"You knew my dad." he said simply. Ven gulped hard and turned to the boy.

"I did." he confirmed. Griffin stepped forward.

"Tell me about him." he begged calmly. Ven suddenly smiled, thinking of what to say about Lea.

"Well, where do I start? He always knew how to make you laugh. He was the most sarcastic person I've ever met. He was never quiet. In fact, most of the time, we couldn't get him to shut up." he said, laughing at the memories. Griffin smiled slightly.

"I ran away from the group. I went to Baron, hoping that somehow my dad was still alive. But I was wrong. He's not alive, is he?" he asked the master. Ven sighed, not knowing what to say.

"I didn't think so." Griffin said calmly as he turned and walked back toward the camp.

RADIANT GARDEN, MARKETPLACE…

Kain stood on one of the city walls, watching. He had had a feeling back at camp that something was happening, so he knew he had to come back and check. Sure enough, there was a commotion in the marketplace.

Braig and Gisborne walked through, surrounded by guards. Lorans stood above them at the top of the steps. He frowned in anger as Terra and Shin were thrown to the ground at the bottom of the stairs. Terra looked up at him with watery eyes, staying on the ground. Shin defiantly stood back up, pulling his sword out of its sheath. Several soldiers forced him to his knees, and one grabbed his sword. He stood there admiring it, and eventually decided to keep it. Shin looked up at Lorans with angry eyes, showing no fear. Terra was quite the opposite.

"You are charged with aiding and abetting known fugitives! The punishment for that crime…..is death!" he yelled angrily. Terra gasped, and even Shin had a look of surprise in his eyes. "You will be hanged tomorrow at dawn. Take them away!" Lorans yelled to his guards. Kain gasped as the two were led out of the market. He turned and hurried back to camp, knowing that they had to save those two.

**I hope you enjoyed it. How do you like Pierce's new outfit and theme? Herald, you'll be really excited next chapter! This chapter was shorter, but you guys can't really complain. Although I'm sure someone will find a way to if they really want to, lol. I don't wanna hear any complaints from you, Herald! Lol.**


	17. Ch 17: Heat of the Moment

**Sorry about the delayed update! I learned Thursday night that I had to leave for Nashville the next day, and last night I got back after midnight. But here I am! Who knows? Maybe the chapter will be better because you had to wait, lol! Alright, shout outs:**

**13TheAce: Well, he has to try, lol. Thanks! I thought about that when I was making his new costume, and I knew that would be the perfect link to Jack, making that his headband!**

**TheEighthLight: Gee, I never saw that coming…..! Lol.**

**Celeron96: I think he did! Make sure he's still breathing, lol! Thanks, you helped me think of it! Well, who in the part was seen building the "graves" of the heroes? That's how. **

**AngelicWinds: Lol, thanks! It's alright, let it all out! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Because Tidus is gonna be a man this time around, lol! I honestly felt no big losses killing all of them, except Yuna and Rikku. Aside from Auron, I don't LOVE most of them. Thanks!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, I wanted him to be insecure for the first while, and we've kinda reached that now. It's time for him to become the protagonist we all want. I'm not sure yet, lol! Nice example, lol!**

**Gohan Roxas: Thanks! And unfortunately, yes.**

**Alright, here goes: I own Lorans and the Rikkisons. AngelicWinds owns Ava, TheEighthLight owns Griffin, Celeron96 owns Luriel, and Herald owns Shin. Seriously, we should all know who owns what by now, right? Lol.**

Chapter 17: Heat of the Moment

CAMELOT…

"Thank you, Merlin. That will be all." Arthur said, dismissing his servant. Merlin nodded and headed for the door. He pulled it open right in time for Agravaine to come walking in.

"Sire." he greeted. Arthur turned.

"Thank you for coming, Uncle. Merlin, you can go." he told them. Merlin nodded, knowing this was not good, but had no choice but to leave.

"You wanted to see me, Arthur?" Agravaine asked him curiously. Arthur nodded as he slowly sat down at his desk.

"I've decided to withdraw from the Council of Sovereigns." he began. This statement alone made the older man gasp. "Also, I'm declaring the treaty of alliances void and taking Camelot out of Lorans' armies. We are our own people again." he explained. Agravaine stared at him in shock and stepped toward him.

"Sire, that is a grave mistake! Think about everything Lorans protected us from! Look at what the LE was doing! He stopped them for the good of all of us! The kingdom is only safe…..so long as we have his protection." he pleaded, trying to change his mind. Arthur shook his head.

"Merlin helped me remember the friend I had in Jack Rikkison. He was a man so noble as to be willing to sacrifice himself for his brother who tried to kill everyone. Jack was no traitor, and yet he was struck down mercilessly, and most of our resources are being spent hunting down his children like common fugitives! There is no decency in that, uncle! I've made my decision." he replied firmly. Agravaine sighed.

"I fear you are not anywhere near your father after all, Arthur. Uther would have done what was best for Camelot. He would not have thrown his kingdom away for the memory of an old friend who brought about his own destruction." he told him sadly, turning for the door.

At these words, Arthur's resolve broke. He sighed. "Very well, uncle. Since you think that this is the best course of action, we shall continue as normal then." he decided, still unsure.

From outside the room, Merlin had heard the whole conversation, and he was so angry that he wanted to kill Agravaine with his bare hands.

RADIANT GARDEN…

"Hurry, they were taken to the market. Lorans had a gallows set up for all to see there. That's where they'll be!" Kain told the others as they ran from their ship toward the town.

"Let's hope we're not too late!" Rayne muttered.

"We'll make it, we have to." Pierce told them calmly.

"I hope you're right….." Lulu muttered as they neared the market.

MARKETPLACE…

"Such is the punishment for any associating themselves with fugitives!" Lorans yelled from the top of the wall. Terra and Shin were slowly led out toward the center of the market, where a gallows had been built.

"I'm sorry for getting us stuck in this, Terra." Shin whispered to his best friend. Terra shook her head, trying to hide her fear.

"This isn't your fault." she told him. Together, they were led up onto the stage toward the waiting nooses.

"We have to go now!" Griffin whispered harshly. The group each had hoods on to hide their faces.

"Not yet." Kain whispered back. Ven and Pierce slowly circled to the side, getting closer. Ava and Rayne made their way to the left. Lulu, Griffin, and Kain prepared themselves in the middle, ready to carve the escape route.

"You think those petty fugitives stand a chance! You've no idea how wrong you are!" Xehanort told the crowd, standing just behind Lorans. Mika stood to his other side.

"The Council has spoken. The heretics must die. If they survive the hanging, then they are filled with demons and shall be burned at the stake!" he declared.

Pierce's group silently drew their weapons and prepared to attack, when something completely unexpected happened…..

Shin saw it coming and turned to the two guards holding him. "Alright, gents. Release me now and we'll all be able to walk from this." he warned them. The one was holding onto Shin's sword.

"No way. You're getting the choke." he told him stubbornly. Shin shrugged his shoulders.

"Can't say I didn't warn you, idiots." he replied calmly. **(Final Fantasy VI Battle Theme, The Black Mages)**

Terra had begun going berserk somehow. Electricity flowed around her head, and she was screaming in pain. "Please…..run! I….I can't…..control it!" she yelled at the guards holding her. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

"What do we do?!" one yelled. As the other one opened his mouth to yell back, Terra sent an explosion flying out all around her.

When the smoke cleared, in Terra's place was a humanoid looking creature with flowing hair and a feminine outline. The guards around her screamed as she whirled on them in berserk rage. She tore one apart in seconds with her razor sharp claws and grabbed the other's ankle as he tried to run away. He screamed as his fingers desperately tried to cling to the ground, to no avail. She yanked him back and jumped into the air.

She roared and threw him into the ground with a crash. A second later, she pounced on top of him with the force of a crashing gummi ship. Needless to say, Pierce's group was beyond shocked by this display.

Meanwhile, Shin elbowed a guard in the face and broke out of his restraints. He punched the other guard in the stomach and took his sword out of the man's hand. "You couldn't handle it anyway." he told him as he hit him with the handle of the sword. He quickly ran toward Terra, cutting down any in his way. Despite her rage, he seemed to have no fear of her. "Terra!" he called out desperately. She whirled at him, seeming to recognize him. "It's okay now, Terra! Calm down now!" he told her calmly. She stared at him for several seconds before, ever so slowly, she floated down to the ground and looked at her feet. **(end Battle Theme)**

In a flash of light, she looked like herself again. Shin calmly held out his arms as she ran into them, crying. "I'm sorry!" she choked, crying relentlessly. Shin held her, not saying a word.

"How touching." Lorans spoke. The crowd had scattered by now, leaving Pierce's group, Shin, and Terra the only ones in the market.

"All of the heretics gathered in one place. Yevon is smiling on us today!" Mika exclaimed, waving his arms in some sort of prayer.

"Shut up, Lorans! We were just leaving anyway!" Pierce yelled back. Shin and Terra looked at them.

"Got room on your ship?" he asked.

"Plenty." he replied. Shin nodded.

"Good, cause it's because of you that we have to leave, anyway." he said somewhat angrily. Pierce sighed and didn't respond. Xehanort summoned his Keyblade and stepped toward the group, but Lorans help up his hand.

"Let them go. We still have to find the drifter and the baby, anyway." he told him. Xehanort, surprisingly, nodded and stepped back obediently. Kain smirked.

"It does no good to keep a snake on a leash. Regardless of its restraint, eventually it will turn around and strike you. Then it will leave you for dead and slither away." he told Lorans, who sniggered.

"I would rather have a snake than one who thinks himself a Holy Dragoon. Begone, before I change my mind." he replied. Pierce nodded and stepped backward without turning around.

"Let's go." he told his group. Kain, Rayne, and Ven stayed at his side while the others headed for the ship, Shin and Terra quickly following. Ven and Rayne then turned and left. Kain and Pierce nodded to each other and slowly turned to leave.

Lorans smirked as he watched them go. "Mika, place your spies in the other members' courts. Other than Vasey, I trust none of them. Arthur, Cecil, and Mickey, one of them is a spy. I will find out who." he told the old man. Mika nodded. Xehanort cleared his throat.

"Speaking of the rude one, where is the short sheriff?" he asked them. Lorans looked at him and didn't have an answer.

NOTTINGHAM…..

Vasey muttered furiously in his sleep. "The pact…..the pact….!" he muttered as he tossed and turned in his bed.

"_Sheriffs should be seen and not heard. Robin Hood is the true man deserving your place….."_ a voice echoed through the room. Vasey shot up immediately.

"Who's there!?" he began, before smacking his head against the top of his bed frame. He groaned in both pain and fury. "Guards!" he screamed. Two armored guards immediately burst in.

"What is it, my lord?" one asked. Vasey pulled a dagger out from underneath his pillow.

"There's an intruder in the castle. Find him!" he screamed angrily. The guards ran out to try and find the intruder, and Vasey tried to get calm and lay back down in bed. It wasn't until he put his bed back on his pillow that he saw him: a shadow of a man to his right. He was about to scream out when a gray and black Keyblade touched his neck. "What do you want?!" he whispered harshly. The man laughed, his body hidden in the shadows.

"I know where your precious pact is. But I won't tell you, since you're an ally of Lorans and the Council." he replied. Vasey shot up at that.

"YOU TELL ME WHERE MY PACT IS NOW!" he screamed furiously. The man merely hit him with the handle of his Keyblade. Vasey groaned and fell to the floor, knocked out. The man stayed in the shadows.

"Gosh, shut up. Geez, you're worse than my brother was as a kid. Well, that's one Council member I know who isn't on Pierce's side. Time to go have a chat with Mika…." he muttered. He stopped to make sure the baby was tightly secured in the makeshift carrying pack on his back. "What do you think, Soriah?" he asked the baby. This whole time, he was still in the shadows and had not revealed any of his appearance.

The baby cooed happily, and the man smiled. "Yeah, I thought so. C'mon, let's get out of here before the obnoxious guy wakes up and thinks I'm my nephew….." he muttered, disappearing out the window in nothing more than a flick of his cloak.

**It's not my best chapter, but I at least hope it satisfied you! I have three weeks of school left, so that means after this coming week I probably won't be on that much until after my exams. Sorry, guys! Be happy! Within the next three chapters, the whole party will be together!**


	18. Ch 18: A Brief Respite

**Hey, guys! Shout outs: **

**TheEighthLight: I'm sorry! I can't help my school schedule!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Haha, thanks! He said that just to give you a hint at who he is, :p. No, you have to hang on! The next chapter's already late! You have to push through!**

**13TheAce: Shin is. Haha, thanks!**

**Celeron96: Well, Mika is from FFX and he leads the Yevon religion, which is basically the church during the days of Martin Luthor, so that's about right. It's because of Agravaine! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Marek: I am not Marek! I am a being of shadows…..a defender of the night….I AM…..BATMAN!" Me: *shakes head in amusement* "Yeah, no you're not. Get back in the story." **

**AngelicWinds: Yep!**

**Alright, you know what I own! AW owns Ava, TEL owns Griffin, TUH owns Shin, and Celeron owns Luriel! **

Chapter 18: A Brief Respite

Rayne silently guided the ship in to a smooth landing in the forest clearing. Their tents and fire pit were still set up, so it was just a matter of making it to their beds. "Griffin and I will do a perimeter check. Keep watch until we're back." Kain told Pierce. He nodded, and the two walked off.

"Um, where do you want us to sleep?" Shin asked, Terra standing close to him. Rayne smiled kindly at them.

"We have mats set up in the captain's cabin. The boys sleep out in the tents so we girls can have our privacy." she told them. Shin looked at Terra, unsure. She smiled and nodded.

"I'll be fine." she told him. He nodded, but was still reluctant to leave her side.

"Well, we're not changing with you standing there!" Lulu exclaimed as she and Ava stared at him. He flinched as if just waking up and quickly nodded, before turning and walking outside. Rayne looked at them with a slight smile and shook her head as she went to set up Terra's mat.

Shin sighed as he walked up to where Pierce and Ven were sitting. "I'm sorry that all this has happened to you." Ven told him quietly as he sat down facing them. Shin nodded slightly and looked away.

"I suppose I should thank you for giving us a place to go." he murmured.

"You did the same for us." Pierce told him. He nodded.

"Yeah, I did. And look where it's gotten me." he muttered. Pierce looked at Ven, who shrugged his shoulders.

"Shin…." Pierce began, but the other boy just stood up and turned away.

"I need to be alone for a while." he told them, heading for the forest.

It was silent around the fire for several minutes as Pierce shifted through his thoughts. He didn't know where to go from here. He kept thinking of things, but his thoughts always slipped through his fingers. Ven suddenly broke the silence. "Jack would be proud of you, you know." he said. Pierce looked at him.

"I guess…." he replied. Ven smiled.

"Pierce, I've seen how much you've grown. You've turned from a boy into a man in a matter of months. That's not an easy thing, you know? Not just anyone could handle that. You're doing a good job." he told him sincerely. Pierce looked at him and smiled.

"Thank you." he told him, returning to his thoughts. Ven sighed and stood up. Stretching, he gazed around the camp. Shin was nowhere to be seen, and Griffin and Kain hadn't returned yet.

"I think I'm gonna go check on those two." he said. Pierce nodded silently as the blonde master walked toward the woods.

MEANWHILE…

"Ava, where are you going?" Rayne asked from the back of the ship. Terra and Lulu were lying on pillows, chatting about different things. Ava was almost to the ramp when Rayne spoke.

"I'm gonna go train with Griffin!" she explained. Rayne nodded and sat down by the other two.

Kain and Griffin had just gotten back when she came out of the ship. "Everything's quiet." Kain told Pierce. He nodded, expecting the dragoon to stop and sit by the fire, but he kept on walking.

"Hey, Griffin, you wanna get some training in before bed?" Ava asked the red head. Griffin shrugged his shoulders.

"Sure." he replied. The two walked away to have some room, and Pierce did feel slightly left out. Not for long, however, as Luriel sat down next to him.

"What's up?" she asked casually as she leaned back against a log. Pierce sighed.

"Not much right now." he said simply, staring at Ava in the distance. She noticed and quickly started a conversation.

"So what made you change your outfit?" she asked him. He looked at her before glancing down at his clothes.

"My old outfit was a copy of my dad's. This is mine, and it suits me." he told her simply. She nodded slightly.

"Mine suits me too, don't you agree?" she asked him, gesturing to her thighs, left exposed by her short shorts. He glanced down for a second and quickly looked back up again. She smiled. "It's okay to look, Pierce. It's okay to admire me, just like I admire you." she told him quietly, touching his bicep with her hand. He looked at her silently and said nothing.

She looked over to see Ava about to glance in their direction, and quickly leaned forward and kissed him on the lips.

This scene sent Ava skidding to a halt. "What?!" she gasped, not seeing Griffin's spell coming at her. She took it without flinching, though. At first she was filled with confusion, but that was quickly replaced with anger. "THAT WHORE!" she screamed furiously as she summoned her Keyblade and charged. Lulu smirked as she let go of Pierce, who had not kissed her back, and raised her sickles.

"That's right, come to mama!" she yelled in anticipation.

"That's enough!" Rayne yelled as she appeared in between them, blocking both attacks.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Ava screamed. Lulu stared at her gloatingly.

"So you do have a crush on him! I knew it! Well how about we end this, huh? Why don't we have him tell us who he wants?" she told Ava. The pink-haired girl growled.

"Fine!" she spat.

"No." Pierce told them calmly. He slowly walked past them as Kain came to Rayne's side in case the girls tried to attack again. "You two need to get along. No one is leaving, and no one is getting kicked out. I'm sick of you two fighting over me. This is NOT the time for romance, alright? We need to be focusing on our search for Marek and our struggle against the Council. Can we please get back to focusing on that?" he told them angrily, but keeping his voice in check. Both Ava and Luriel angrily glared at each other, but slowly nodded.

"What did we miss?" Ven called out as he and Shin walked back into the clearing. Terra slowly walked out of the ship, and the entire group was assembled.

"I want to find Marek, but first I need to visit my parent's graves. Ven, do you know where they are?" Pierce asked the older master. Ven slowly nodded.

"I went there before finding you. We'll need to head to the Keyblade Graveyard. That world is at the top of the Council's most guarded worlds. We'll have to get in unseen and get out unseen. If we are discovered there, alone, then it's all over." he explained. Pierce nodded slowly.

"Those of you that want to stay here can. Those with me, we leave in the morning." he told them, setting his vest next to his tent and going inside to sleep for the night.

The rest of the group slowly scattered. Ven, Griffin, and Shin went in their tents. Ava, Lulu, and Terra went in the ship. Rayne and Kain suddenly realized they were the only ones left in the clearing. Both stared at each other and suddenly blushed. "I'm sorry." he quickly murmured and went to head for his tent. Rayne quickly walked toward the ship, but was smiling.

RADIANT GARDEN...

Lorans sat on his throne, impatiently waiting on his fellows. "Where are Xehanort and Braig?! I have waited long enough!" he roared. Cecil, Mickey, and Arthur stared at him silently, the last second guessing his spot on the Council yet again. Mickey sighed sadly, not knowing what to do about Lorans. Cecil was just trying to keep acting how he had been. Mika and Vasey glanced at one another while Gisborne stepped in and whispered something in the sheriff's ear. Vasey nodded and stood up.

"My lords! Last night, I was visited by a young assassin! If it had not been for my own intelligence, and to a lesser extent the promptness of Gisborne, I WOULD BE DEAD! You all should have ways of keeping fugitives out of my castle! Incompetence!" he yelled furiously. Lorans smirked and leaned back.

"I thought Mika was on the case of dealing with Marek Rikkison." he said simply. The old man cleared his throat.

"We have been chasing him across the worlds relentlessly. He has proved elusive..." he began.

"Oh, shut up! We all know that you should be in charge, anyway!" Vasey yelled at him. Mika and the others looked him in question, but he smiled evilly. "A clue, no." he told them, waving his finger. At that moment, Xehanort walked in, followed by Braig.

"You took your time." Arthur told him, staring at the old man. Xehanort smirked.

"A minor inconvenience had me waylaid. Cloud Strife and Zack Fair have begun an organized rebellion in Gaia. It is nothing that I cannot handle." he explained calmly. Lorans smiled.

"I trust you, Xehanort. And that is why I am making you the chief ruler of Destiny Islands!" he declared. Every member of the Council stood up in shock. To most of them, it had become clear that Lorans care nothing for any of them, or for the worlds he was ruling.

TWILIGHT TOWN...

"Hey, Pence! Do you see that?!" Hayner yelled from across the Sandlot.

"See what?! I don't..." Pence began, but gasped as Olette came running through, chased by Immortals.

"Help!" she screamed. Hayner angrily drew his sword and cut them down.

"You alright?" he asked her. She nodded. He growled.

"Whatever Lorans has planned for the worlds, it can't be good. Ever since he declared himself the Sovereign, he's become more and more unstable. We need to be ready in case he decides to take out this town just for the heck of it." he told his friends. Pence nodded, but sighed.

"How do we prepare if we don't know he's coming? The LE is gone, along with any Keyblader who could help us." he asked. Hayner sighed and thought hard.

_"There are still some who fight for justice."_ said a voice. A figure in a black cloak stepped out of a portal. Hayner, Pence, and Olette angrily turned to him.

"Using the darkness?! We don't need your kind of help!" Hayner spat at him. The man laughed quietly.

"Actually, you do. This enemy must be fought with darkness. It is not in darkness that evil comes from. There is only evil in the hearts of men. My nephew leads a small group of survivors that are all that is left of anything the LE was. If you seek help, then it is in him that you will find what you need." he explained to them. Without another word, he turned and walked back through his portal. Olette wasn't sure, but she was almost certain that she had heard a baby's cry as he disappeared.

**I know, it was shorter. But next chapter will be worth the wait, I promise! Don't forget to review! WE MADE IT TO 100 REVIEWS! THANKS SO MUCH, EVERYONE!**


	19. Ch 19: Guardian Angel

**Hey, guys! Only four people reviewed! What happened, people? I was having 8 steady reviews during RTDoD, and now I'm down to four? Thank you for the four who did. You get the shout outs:**

**Celeron96: Haha, sorry. What's funny is I gave him the same voice actor as Starkiller from Force Unleashed. She's just trying to cause trouble right now, lol. **

**13TheAce: Ha, well you know how girl drama goes. I think this is the first time where I've had THAT kind of conflict, lol. Yes it was! No, Soriah's still with him.**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Haha, well that's supposed to happen! It's okay! WHAT?! I love RD jr. as Tony! He's the best Stark ever! Eh, Loki should still be there. And hey, I'm a Marvel guy, too. But I love The Justice League. The only people I LOVE from DC are Batman(who could take down any other member of the superhero universe), Nightwing(the first Robin who surpassed Batman himself), and Deathstroke( the DC version of Deadpool). But yeah, RB jr. is the perfect Tony. You don't like him?**

**The Unknowing Herald: I guess so, lol! Haha, I have to say I did not see that coming from you!**

**Alright, thank you four for reviewing. I guess you guys deserve the next chapter then! My favorite chapter so far! I don't feel like typing out who owns what, but you should know by now! If any author feels offended, just say who you own in your review, lol.**

Chapter 19: Guardian Angel(for you, Celeron!)

It was not quite dawn when Pierce walked toward the ship, fully dressed and ready to depart. The rest of his group slowly stumbled up to him, yawning and rubbing their eyes. Well, except for Kain, who always seemed to be fully alert. He didn't even seem to need sleep. "Alright, so Ven and I are going to the Graveyard. I know some you don't want to go, which is good because I don't wanna leave the camp unprotected and get ambushed like last time. So who's coming, and who's staying?" he began. The group murmured amongst themselves as Ven went into the ship to get their supplies ready.

"Well, you know my answer." Rayne told him, putting her hand on his shoulder. He smiled at her, and she followed Ven into the ship.

"We'll stay here. I'd rather watch the camp than take Terra to one of the most dangerous worlds." Shin told him, standing just in front of Terra. He nodded at the two.

"Alright." he told them simply. They walked back to the fire pit while the remaining four looked at Pierce.

"I'll stay here with them. Better to have someone here to help them in case….whatever happened at Radiant Garden happens again." Lulu volunteered. He nodded at her.

"I'll stay too." Griffin told him, keeping a close eye on the two newcomers. As they went to join the other two, Ava and Kain looked at him.

"I'm coming, too." she told him. He smiled at her, and nodded in appreciation.

"Then let us go." Kain said, obviously coming with. Pierce nodded and led the way into the ship, where Ven and Rayne were already in the pilot and copilot seats, ready to go.

"Everyone on board who's coming?" Rayne asked. Pierce nodded.

"Let's get out of here." he told her. She nodded, and gently eased the ship into the air.

The four who stayed watched the ship rise up into the sky, and dart out of the atmosphere, into the Lanes Between.

RADIANT GARDEN…

"Sir, we've seen a ship matching your description heading for the Graveyard!" a soldier exclaimed, running toward Braig, who was waiting on the landing dock. He smiled, his good eye glowing yellow.

"Good. I'll go inform the Council, and then we're outta here. Keep the ship running, soldier." he told his subordinate. The soldier nodded, and ran back to the ship. Braig smiled as he turned and made his way to the meeting chambers.

COUNCIL CHAMBERS…

"Ah, Braig. I trust you have important news?" Lorans asked as he walked into the room, bored. Braig nodded.

"The fugitives are heading for the Graveyard. We've spotted their ship, and I'm ready to head there immediately." he informed them. Lorans sat down with a sigh and smiled. The other Council members looked at him in question. He silently stood up.

"Prep my own ship, Braig. I'm leading this ambush. Xehanort, you and Gisborne are coming, too." he announced. Xehanort and Gisborne nodded and walked out, heading for the landing dock. Braig smiled as Lorans slowly descended the stairs, his white cloak furling behind him. From the little he could see of the man's face, Lorans was smiling broadly.

KEYBLADE GRAVEYARD…

Taking great care to land the ship far away from any possible patrols, Pierce, Kain, Ven, Rayne, and Ava quickly made their way across the barren landscape. Ava had to stop and gasp at the sheer number of dead keys stuck in the ground all around them. They filled the ground to the horizon and extended in all directions. Pierce put a hand on her shoulder. "We're here to prevent anything like this ever happening again." he told her, smiling comfortingly. She nodded and grasped his hand firmly.

"It's in the distance. If we're trying to be stealthy, it'll take close to an hour to get there." Ven told them, pointing at a plateau in the distance.

"Well, we should get started then." Rayne muttered.

"I'll scout ahead. If something happens, don't follow." Kain told them. Before they could argue, he dashed out of sight.

"Why does he always do that?!" Ava sighed. Pierce just smiled and shook his head.

"Let's go." he told them. They slowly began to move across the plain. Stealthy or not, there were very few places for cover at this point. The pillars in the distance were the only possible hiding spots, since the keys were all around them. If someone wanted to ambush them, now would be the perfect time.

The group shared this thought, and as such kept the Keyblades ready. Kain returned when they had made it about halfway to their goal. "It's clear in all directions. There are no patrols." he informed them.

"That's weird." Ven muttered.

"Could it be a trap?" Rayne asked.

"Hmm, possible." Kain replied, looking to Pierce.

"Well, fearless leader? Your decision. We're behind you either way." he told him. Pierce nodded.

"We keep going forward." he told them firmly. They nodded, and, knowing that they were alone, moved much faster, reaching the area around the plateau in a matter of minutes.

"This was where…..?" Pierce trailed off, staring around the clearing they were in. There were after effects of a great battle here. Scorched and blackened earth lay all around them, and there were massive cuts in the pillars and ground. Piles of keys had been knocked out of their places by some heavy object that had crashed into them. Ven silently nodded.

"They're up there." he said, pointing to the top of the plateau. Pierce looked up and swallowed hard. After a few silent moments, he walked up and began to climb, another trait his father had found that he had passed to his son.

Climbing to the top easily, Pierce was alone for several seconds as the group caught up. Kain naturally made it up quickly, but the rest were not used to climbing. They made it to the top out of breath, but all of them quickly fell silent as they looked out in front of them. Pierce slowly stepped toward a line of Keyblades stuck in the ground. Many were blades that they recognized.

Pierce saw the blade of his fallen master, Riku. He saw Terra's blade, Sora's blade. He looked at the front of the line and swallowed hard.

While Ava ran and hugged her master, Ven, Kain looked at Terra's blade, remembering the friend he had in him. He had known and been close friends with Sora, Terra, and Jack in particular, but he had tried not to think about the loss too much. He had nothing to say, and feared speaking, because he knew his voice would waver.

Rayne walked up to stand next to Pierce, who stood in front of a lone Keyblade, colored black but with gold and silver tracings all around it. Sitting on the hilt was a white gauntlet with a gem on the front. He knew this was the gauntlet that had belonged to his mother, Mist. Rayne silently reached out and took it. She studied it for several moments silently.

Finally, she began to cry. Silent tears came down her face, and she suddenly was running into Kain's arms. He was surprised by the action, but quickly put his arms around her, trying to comfort her. "I lost both of my parents, too." she whispered. He nodded, realizing how easy it was to forget that she cared about her parents too. She never showed any emotion or tried to think about her lost family, but inside she was more torn apart than Pierce. After all, she had been with her parents for almost thirty years, almost twice as long as Pierce had.

Pierce silently reached out toward his father's blade. His fingers slowly extended toward the hilt, and he found himself wrapping them around the handle. It was then that he felt a surge of energy. His immediate urge was to let go of the blade, but he knew this was no accident. Then, the visions started. **(Jack's Theme 2{Revealed Truth, FFX})**

"_Roxas! Xion!" he heard voices scream. Pierce turned around to see Lorans battling Lea, who cast a powerful fire spell. Lorans easily blocked it and reflected it back at Lea. He knew then that he had just watched Griffin's father die. He watched as Lorans killed Aqua and Kairi. He saw Terra get impaled when Lorans stabbed his own Keyblade through his stomach, sticking Terra, who was standing just behind him. The older man who had always been his father's best friend fell to the ground and was still. By now, Pierce was crying, and he held his head, which was throbbing in pain._

"_Riku!" the remaining people yelled as the silver haired man was killed and thrown through the air. He watched as Ven got stabbed in the chest with a dagger. His heart stopped when he saw Lorans turn to his mother._

_She put up quite a fight, but Jack could not get there in time. Pierce watched in horror as Lorans impaled his mother. He fell back onto the ground in shock as he saw the life leave her eyes. "NO!" he screamed, and his voice was echoed by Jack's, who exploded with darkness as Lorans hit Sora in the head, who fell to the ground. He saw the villain stab Sora with something, and the brunette gasped for a few seconds, and then was still. By now, Pierce was back on his feet, his Keyblade in hand. _

_He roared in fury as he ran at Lorans and swung with all his might. But he went right through him. He was not really here, so all he could do was watch. "NO!" he screamed, slashing through Lorans multiple times. The villain smirked as Jack glowed with darkness and flew through the air at breakneck speed. Lorans positioned himself with his Keyblade ready, and quickly thrust it into Jack's chest as the lone survivor stabbed Lorans in the stomach with his. Pierce gasped in horror as Jack flipped through the air and landed next to Mist, their hands intertwined, in death. He saw Lorans stand up triumphantly and pull Jack's Keyblade out of his gut, showing no sign of injury. He walked over and thrust the blade into the ground near the fallen wanderer. He smirked. "The evil of the Rikkisons will end once I have eliminated the rest of your pathetic little family. Rest assured, devil-spawn, you will be reunited with your children and brother soon." he told the dead man. With a flick of his cloak, he was gone, and Pierce felt himself returning to the real world._

He fell to his knees, tears pouring down his face. He shocked himself by realizing that it was only when Ava wrapped her arms around him, that he felt comforted. **(end Jack's Theme)**

"He….slaughtered them all." he whispered. The other three had gathered around him now.

"Yes." Ven confirmed.

"But you survived." Ava muttered. Ven nodded.

"I survived because Jack took on Lorans long enough for me to get away. He knew there was no way I could fight, with that dagger in my chest. He stopped just long enough to open a portal to get me away, before he made his final charge." he explained.

"He fought, and died….for us. He even knew that his efforts were in vain. He knew he was going to die. But he still went out and fought for us." Rayne told her brother. He stood up and nodded, wiping his eyes.

"I'm no longer ashamed of what he didn't do. I'm proud of what he did do." he said, smiling.

"Well, isn't this very touching." The group whirled around to find a ship descend out of the clouds. Several figures dropped from the ship. At the head was Lorans, his cloak flapping behind him in the wind. Braig, Gisborne, and Xehanort stood just behind him, flanked by countless soldiers.

"To the ground, now!" Kain yelled. The group ran for the sides and leaped off the plateau as he sent a tornado toward the villains. A split second later, he followed the others by leaping down to the ground.

"Form a line!" Pierce yelled, and they rallied around him. Lorans and his lackeys advanced to the edge of the plateau, and the two groups stared each other down. "Lorans!" Pierce yelled.

"Last words, little Rikkison?" the villain called out. He simply smiled. **(The Only Thing I know For Real, Metal Gear Rising{ GO HERALD!})**

"I said I would kill you, and I meant it!" he yelled, raising his blade. Lorans smirked as he leaped off the cliff, quickly followed by his men.

Pierce and Rayne took him on side by side while Kain kept Braig busy. Ava found herself facing both Gisborne and Xehanort. While she could take Gisborne, the old man was far beyond her skill. "Guys?!" she called out. Ven appeared behind Xehanort and kicked him forward. The old man stumbled forward while casting a spell behind him. Ven jumped up to dodge it and pounced down on top of him in retaliation.

Ava blocked a strike from Gisborne and cast a Blizzaga at him, sending him back. He got back on his feet and pulled out a pointed knife. He threw it at her, and she quickly blocked it, but in that time he made it up to her and kneed her in the chin. She managed to back flip and land on her feet, holding her chin. What she didn't expect was for Gisborne to already be on her. She gasped as he knocked the Keyblade out of her hand and rolled her over his shoulder, slamming her into the ground. She tried to get up, but he held his sword to her throat and picked her up. "You're mine now." he told her, leading her over to the plateau wall.

Ven struggled against Xehanort. Despite his age, the old man had not slowed down at all. Ven jumped up and brought his blade down, but Xehanort caught it and threw him back. "And you beat Vanitas? He was weaker than I thought." Xehanort muttered.

"Shut up!" Ven yelled, goaded into rage now. He yelled as he ran up again, raising his blade. Xehanort smirked as he swung his blade in a vertical circle just as Ven got to him. The surprised blonde was knocked over his enemy and flew through the air until he smacked into the plateau wall. He fell to the ground and found Xehanort's blade at his neck.

Kain easily dashed around Braig's shots. Arrows were stuck in the ground all around as Kain jumped into the air and through his lance. Braig teleported out of the way, but didn't expect the lance to curve around to head back to its master. It hit him from behind and knocked him to the ground. He looked up to see the holy dragoon twirl his lance and smack him in the face with it. "Kiss yourself goodbye!" Braig yelled as he grabbed onto Kain and teleported. He threw him up into the air, and before he could regain his footing, Braig teleported all around, shooting him from all directions. For as strong as Kain was, after a few dozen hits, he fell down to the ground and groaned. He tried to stand up, but couldn't. Braig stood in front of him and smirked as two of the soldiers dragged Kain over to where they were holding Ven and Ava.

Pierce and Rayne effortlessly dodged and weaved around Lorans' blows. The older man quickly grew frustrated, especially when Pierce got behind him and kicked him in the back of the head. Rayne blasted him backward with a Thunder spell, and he had had enough. "This ends now!" he roared angrily. He held out his arms and a few seconds later, a massive earthquake knocked Rayne off her feet and sent her flying. She hit the ground, and was quickly surrounded by soldiers. Lorans turned to Pierce, who also was quickly surrounded. **(end The Only Thing I know For Real)**

"It's over, little Rikkison. Surrender, and I will kill you first so you don't have to watch your friends die." he told him, pointing his Keyblade at the teen. Pierce stood his ground, but knew he could do nothing. Suddenly, a single small feather floated down into his hand. He looked up and looked around, but saw nothing.

Rayne suddenly had a baby drop into her lap, and she was beyond shocked, but she recognized him at once. She smirked. "Heck yeah…." she muttered slyly, looking around.

"Lorans!" yelled a new voice.

"Hmph. You…." Lorans muttered as he and men turned toward the plateau, where a lone figure stood, covered in a black cloak. The figure summoned a black and gray Keyblade to his right hand and slowly pointed it at Lorans.

"Trying to kill children? You're at an all new low, Lorans." he spoke. There was no sign of fear in his voice. Lorans stared back, not showing fear, either.

"You know you don't stand a chance, wanderer! Not even you can take me and win! The entire LE couldn't. What makes you think you can?!" he yelled. The figure laughed quietly.

"Because, I know your weakness." he replied simply. With that, he leaped off the cliff in one fluid motion. Bringing his legs in and slightly up, he was in a sort of crouch position as he fell. Landing near the tied up fugitives, he cut down the nearby guards in three swift motions. After that, he casually held up his hand, which glowed red. Fire burned up the ropes holding the heroes, and they all stood up, ready to fight again. "Get to the ship." he told them without turning around. He slowly stood up and stared at Lorans.

"No way!" Ava exclaimed, and started forward. He held up his blade in front of her.

"Do as I say or we'll never get out of here, now go!" he told her firmly. Kain grabbed her arm and nodded. The group took off, and Lorans motioned his men to let them. The man turned to Pierce. "Get out of here. Go!" he told him. Pierce slowly eased away from the soldiers around him and ran past the man, but not before looking back.

"This is between you and me, Lorans! Right here, right now!" he yelled. **(Archangel extended, Two Steps from Hell)**

"Finally, a fight worthy of legend!" Lorans yelled as he stepped forward. He turned to his troops. "After them! Once I've dealt with him, we kill them all!" he yelled. Pierce immediately took off running as the army suddenly ran in his direction.

The man and Lorans slowly circled each other from a distance. "You will pay for everything you've done." he told Lorans, who smirked.

"Come on then!" he yelled. With roars from both men, they ran toward each other and their blades met with an echoing clang. Lorans aimed a punch at the man's head, but he crouched forward and spun around. He immediately grabbed Lorans' wrist and threw him off his feet. Lorans crashed onto his back, but shot back to his feet in one motion. The man twirled his sword over his head and swung hard. Lorans held up his own and blocked the attack. He quickly countered by spinning his blade, knocking the man's away, before trying to impale him. The man saw it coming and jumped up. He landed on the blade and ran up it toward his opponent. He jumped past Lorans and wrapped his ankles around the other man's neck, before flipping through the air with all of his strength. Lorans went flying by his neck and crashed into the plateau, leaving a wide crater in the side. He dashed back out, this time angrily. "Die!" he roared as he smacked the man's Keyblade out of his hand. The man dodged his reckless strike and punched him in the face. He dashed beneath Lorans' outstretched arm and slammed his fist upward, striking the man's elbow and making it bend the wrong way. Lorans roared in pain as he dropped his blade.

Before it hit the ground, the man kicked it away. He back flipped away, and he and Lorans held up their fists. "Alright then! Let's see what you've got!" Lorans yelled, his eyes passionate. The man ran up and Lorans quickly grabbed both of his shoulders. The man quickly pushed them off and shoved him backward. He jumped up slightly and punched downward. Lorans fell to one knee, but punched upward quickly, and the man groaned as he flew backward. In the same motion, Lorans grabbed his collar and swung him in a circle. He smiled as he aimed for a pillar and threw him with all of his might. The man hit the pillar and crashed through it into the ground, and his hood came off in the process.

"Finally, the face!" Lorans yelled happily as the man jumped back to his feet. His white hair glowed in the sunlight, and his green eyes shone with determination.

"You're a murderer, nothing more!" Marek yelled angrily as he began to glow with darkness. Lorans frowned, but Marek smirked. "I told you I knew your weakness!" he yelled. He threw his arms wide, and a chaotic wave of darkness shot across the plain toward the man in white.

Lorans held up his arms and countered with a wave of light. Both combatants held their attacks with all of their power, but Lorans quickly began to overpower his opponent. Marek began sliding backward, and he began to grimace with the effort it was taking him. He looked down for a split second, and then looked back up.

This time his eyes were yellow. He roared furiously as he stepped forward. He threw his arms out and more powerful darkness shot across the plain, instantly taking out Lorans' light attack and sending the man flying backward. He exhaled deeply as Lorans hit the ground. He groaned for a few seconds, before passing out. **(end Archangel)**

Marek looked around as Xehanort, Braig, Gisborne, and the remaining soldiers circled him. He smirked and waved his fingers toward him, taunting them. They didn't charge, however. "Come on! What are you waiting for?!" he yelled, despite knowing he was too tired to take them on.

"Look above!" yelled a voice. Marek looked up to see the ship fly in low over him. The ramp lowered, and Pierce looked out. "Jump!" he yelled over the noise of the ship. Marek looked back at the soldiers.

"Sorry, gents! Time flies when you're having fun! Looks like I'm out of time now. Catcha next time!" he yelled as he ran up to the nearest soldier. The soldier braced himself for an attack, but Marek leaped up and planted his feet on the man's back, before leaping straight up into the air and grabbing onto the ramp with his fingers.

"I've gotcha!" Pierce yelled as he grabbed onto his uncle's arm and helped pull him up.

"He inside?!" Rayne yelled as the soldiers began shooting at them.

"Yeah! Get us out of here!" Ven yelled. She nodded, closing the ramp and soaring into the sky. Pierce and Marek walked into the cockpit.

"Good to see you, uncle Marek." Rayne greeted. Marek smirked.

"Sorry, I've been busy." he replied. He looked around. "You got…..?" he began, but stopped when he saw Ava holding Soriah. He was sleeping peacefully in her arms.

**Alright, you know Marek is awesome now, right? Lol, I promised I'd give him a badass entry, didn't I? Don't forget to review, everyone! Even if you've never reviewed before, I'll still welcome any newcomers! If you're enjoying this story, leave me a review and let me know! You have no idea how much one little show of support can mean to an author! Alright, well I'm gonna crash now guys! I've been typing for three hours straight now. See ya!**


	20. Ch 20: A Group Divided

**What's up, people?! Shout outs:**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, yeah but this story is going to be a lot longer than my others. If they knew his weaknesses in chapter 10, than what could stop them from taking him down by chapter 30? Haha, definitely, and thanks! Just think of Starkiller's voice, lol.**

**Gohan Roxas: Well, thank you very much!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Thanks! Why would they recast him when he's already been Iron Man in five Marvel movies, though? They won't. **

**13TheAce: Haha, I told you that you guys were gonna love him this time around! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Thanks so much! Welcome back!**

**Celeron96: Thanks so much! For complications that I am not going to reveal right now, that wouldn't have worked. You need to update Dawning War ASAP, lol!**

**Alright, you guys know what I own. I hope you know who Luriel, Ava, Griffin, and Shin belong to!**

Chapter 20: A Group Divided

"So where have you been all this time?" Pierce asked his uncle. Marek sighed as he looked around the table. The ship was on auto-pilot and was cruising through the Lanes. Ava, Ven, and Rayne were sitting around the table, too. Rayne held Soriah in her arms, and he was fast asleep.

"After the LE massacre, I knew I had to get out of there. Rayne knows this. I knew that the Council had gone rogue, and I knew that none of us were safe. If it had been just up to me, the three of us, including Soriah, never would have made it out of there." he began. Pierce crossed his arms, nodding slightly.

"So how'd you get out then?" he asked. Marek smiled slightly.

"Your father had already planned for this. He had every contingency plan you could imagine. This one just so happened to involve me. When we lost the LE and your parents, I knew the first thing they would target was the remaining Rikkisons, and the son of Sora." he said, gesturing to Soriah. "Rayne agreed to stay behind to wait for you. I wanted to, but after everything I did all those years ago, I was already a marked man. They renewed the warrants for my arrest, and I knew they would recognize Soriah immediately. So I took him and left the world as quickly as I could." he explained.

"But that doesn't explain where you've been for the past four months." Ava interjected. Ven nodded.

"Lorans had Soriah for a little while. Explain that to us." he said. Marek nodded, leaning back in his chair.

"I wandered from world to world, with the baby in tow. Eventually, they caught me in Spira. While I was dealing with the guards, they took Soriah from me and disappeared. By the time I had taken out the remaining soldiers, they got him off world. Right before you were captured, I infiltrated their castle. I used that commotion to get inside and rescue him." he told them. Pierce smiled.

"Well, in any case, it's good to have you with us, uncle." he told the older man. Marek nodded.

"Your father told me that you were gonna need a master to finish your training. I promised him that I would." he told his nephew. Ven immediately stood up.

"You're not the only master, you know. I'm already training Ava. I can train him, too." he said, not trusting the man. Marek sighed and smiled slightly. He slowly stood up and looked at the blonde.

"Fifteen years, and you still can't let go of the past?" he asked. Ven glared at him.

"You employed Vanitas during the final war! Your actions got Yen Sid killed! Did you expect otherwise?" he replied, not taking his eyes off the silver haired man. Marek sighed, and held up his arms in surrender.

"Like it or not, you need me. You don't have to like me, but I'm here for Jack and my family, same as you. Jack himself trusted me to look over his children and Sora's son. Accept it. Or kill me now. The choice is yours." he told him simply. Ven gulped slowly, and looked at the others. Pierce was on his feet, ready to move if Ven showed any hostility. He sighed, and lowered his Keyblade.

"Fine, I accept your place in the group. But don't expect me to trust you." he told Marek, sighing as he walked to the back of the ship and disappeared in one of the rooms.

"Noted." Marek muttered as he walked past him. Pierce sighed and sat back down.

"I need to get back to the pilot's seat." Rayne said, standing up.

"I'll go with you." Ava offered. Rayne smiled at her, and they walked away, leaving Pierce and Marek alone. Marek looked his nephew up and down.

"I have to say I'm a little surprised, Pierce. I thought that you'd be wearing your father's outfit." he told him. Pierce sighed.

"I was. When Lorans captured me, he tore my shirt to pieces. I took my dad's vest and modified. After that, I created my own look." he explained. Marek nodded, smiling.

"He was a good man. Even when I was corrupted, he reached out to me, pulled me back. Without him, we all would have been gone a long time ago." he said. Pierce nodded.

"Yeah…." he said simply. Marek stared at him for a few more seconds, until they heard a door open, and heard heavy footsteps coming toward them.

"Kain, you're awake! You've been out cold for a few hours." Pierce greeted. Kain nodded silently, clutching his head as he sat at the table. He glanced at Marek.

"Thank you for the aid. I just wish it had been before I hit my head on that pillar." he told him. Marek smiled.

"I'm just glad I made it in time." he replied.

"We're coming in now!" Rayne called from the cockpit.

"Well, time for you to meet the rest of the crew." Pierce told his uncle as they stood up to leave the ship.

Rayne set the ship down gently in the clearing. She lowered the ramp, and Ven came out first. Lulu and Griffin greeted him, but he stomped past them and disappeared into the woods. "Okay…." Luriel muttered as she turned back to the others. "How'd it go?" she asked as Pierce came walking out. She ran up and hugged him. He gave her a slight hug back, but quickly let go of her and walked over to set his stuff down by the fire. Terra stood up and smiled.

"Welcome back!" she greeted them. Ava and Rayne walked over and smiled back, quickly striking up a conversation.

"What's up with Ven?" Griffin asked as Kain set his lance in the ground and sat down.

"He's angry at me." said Marek as he stepped out of the ship the first time. Griffin whirled around and looked at him. He took a few steps backward in shock.

"Marek?! We've looked everywhere for you!" he gasped. Marek smiled.

"Well, you were checking the wrong "everywhere." he replied. Griffin smiled as Lulu whispered to Pierce behind her hand.

"Who is he, exactly?" she asked.

"My uncle. He's one of the last Keyblade masters." he told her.

"It's…..it's you!" Terra gasped suddenly. They turned to her.

"Terra, this is…" Pierce began, but she shook her head.

"I know who he is! He's the one that destroyed my world when I was just a child!" she yelled, backing away from them.

"Terra, it's okay! He's just…..!" Rayne began, not wanting her to go berserk. Suddenly, the situation got much worse.

"YOU!" screamed another voice. The group groaned as Shin dropped the pile of firewood in his hands and drew his sword in anger.

"Who are you?" Marek asked him calmly. Shin roared in anger as he raised his blade and charged. The older man simply sighed and shook his head. As Shin reached him and swung, Marek leaned back to dodge the strike, but made no effort to attack the teen. Shin whirled around and threw his fist. Marek caught it and gently pushed it back. The brown haired boy then tried to dive forward and tackle Marek to the ground. The man simply jumped up, and Shin went right past him.

By now, the rest of the group was staring, watching the two. Even Ven, who came walking back into the camp. Shin raised his sword and tried to bring it down on top of Marek. Marek held up his arm and grabbed Shin's wrist, stopping the blade. As Shin continued to try and strike Marek, the older man dodged and blocked even quicker than the strikes could come. "You have a nice technique, but you're reckless. That is never a good thing in battle." Marek commented while crouching to avoid a slice to the head.

"Shut up! You destroyed my home world! I'll kill you! I've been waiting for this day!" Shin yelled back. Marek sighed.

"It would've been taken out by some psychotic politician in a clown suit, anyway!" he yelled back as he stepped backward, causing Shin's sword to sink into the ground. As the boy tried to free it, Marek sighed and summoned his Keyblade. He gently held it to the boy's throat and stared at him.

"I cannot take that back, but neither was I under my own control. The Illusion had a strong hold over me. The darkness was too powerful for me to fight. I am sorry for what happened, but there is nothing I can do to take that back." Marek told him calmly. Shin stood there, panting in anger, but slowly nodded as he pulled his sword out of the ground. Marek dismissed his Keyblade as Shin walked over to his tent. "We're leaving." he told Terra. She looked at him in disbelief.

"Why?!" she demanded. He looked at her.

"They're in league with _him!_" he said angrily, pointing at Marek. "He destroyed our home world, but they trust him! This is no place for us!" he told her in frustration. She looked at him for several moments, and then looked at Rayne, who she had developed a quick friendship with. The black haired woman smiled at her from where she was holding Soriah. She looked back at Shin with a firm expression.

"You go, then. I'm staying. I trust them. If they say he's trustworthy, then I trust him, too." she told him firmly. This shocked him.

"What?" he asked her, not believing. She just nodded. He sighed. "Well then, I'm staying, too. Someone has to keep an eye on you." he told her in defeat, but quickly looked at the group. "The second he hurts someone, I am blaming all of you!" he warned them. They nodded, and he walked back toward the woods, kicking a decent sized log as he disappeared.

"So, where do we go from here?" Ven asked as they remaining people gathered around.

"Wait, I hear something from inside the ship!" Rayne exclaimed suddenly. She ran into the cockpit with everyone besides Shin right on her heels. On the computer screen, there was a blurry transmission.

"What is that?" Griffin asked, but suddenly, it became clear as crystal.

There was a young man sitting right in front of the screen. Behind him, the inside of a physician's quarters could be seen. "Merlin!" Ven and Rayne greeted. He smiled at them.

"Hi, guys!" he exclaimed. Gaius appeared behind him.

"Make this short, Merlin! Time is limited, you know!" he exclaimed. Merlin nodded and turned to the group.

"We need your help. Agravaine and Morgana have turned Arthur's mind against the remaining LE survivors. They've turned him to Lorans, and if we wait any longer, I'm afraid he'll be lost for good." he told them.

"Well, what do you want us to do?" Pierce asked him. Merlin sighed.

"Just get here as quick as you can. Don't bring more than four people, though. The castle guards have been very suspicious lately." he told them. Pierce nodded.

"We'll be there soon, Merlin." he promised. The young man nodded in thanks, and the screen went dark.

"I volunteer." Luriel and Ava both said at once.

"I'm in." Griffin told him.

"You know I'm going." Rayne said. Ven, Kain, Terra, and Marek opened their mouths, but Pierce overdid them all.

"Shut up, guys! please!" he yelled in irritation. They quieted immediately. "Let me think, guys." he told them. Marek cleared his throat.

"I'm not going. Pierce, I'm gonna head home, to Destiny Islands, and check out the situation there. It can't be good, considering Xehanort's their dictator now. I'll need a few people who can move unnoticed." he explained. Pierce nodded.

"Any volunteers?" he asked.

"I'm with you." Kain spoke up. Marek nodded in thanks.

"I'm going, too. Here's your one chance to prove yourself to me." Ven told Marek. The silver haired man nodded.

Pierce looked at Rayne, Griffin, Ava, Lulu, and Terra. "Two of you need to stay back with Shin, just in case. Terra, I'm gonna ask you to do that since you know him best." he told them. Terra nodded. Rayne was still holding Soriah, like he was her own son.

"You need to watch him. I'll take Griffin and the girls with me." he told his sister.

"You really think that's a good idea?" Rayne asked him, glancing at the girls.

"I'm saying…." Griffin muttered. Pierce smiled as Kain, Marek, and Ven came back from the armory, ready to go.

"Well, we'll find out, won't we?" he told her. Marek stopped.

"One more thing." he told them. He reached down and threw off his black cloak, revealing his true outfit. His outfit consisted of a long sleeve gray shirt, black pants, and silver shoes. "Time to go to work." he told them as Kain and Ven readied themselves behind him.

**I hope you liked it! Marek didn't exactly get the welcoming you expected, huh?! Lol, don't forget to review!**


	21. Ch 21: Old Grudges

**Sorry about last night. My friend came over and we went and saw Iron Man 3, which was awesome! Anyway, shout outs:**

**The Unknowing Herald: It's because of what Marek did during RTDoD. Well thanks. I'm trying to give her characterization, but she also is still taking a back seat in the group right now. Between Pierce, Ava, Lulu, Marek, and Kain, everyone else kinda has to wait a little bit, you know? Sam's DLC is pretty sick, too! You'll see! **

**Celeron96: Lol, thanks! Marek was just using that word because Kefka was a part of the government at one time, lol. Don't let it get you down. During RTDoD I lost almost half my reviewers for a while, but they came back. Don't worry, there is! I understand!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, he's similar to Avner right now, kinda. Marek destroyed his home world, so he's resentful. Eh, I'm not a big Kefka fan, actually. Garland is much cooler. I like Seymour too, which I know Herald will probably kill me for saying. Don't worry, it will be! **

**13TheAce: Well, they always need someone to blame. I did that on purpose because I REFUSE to try and fit 10 characters along with all of Camelot's residents into one chapter, lol. I'm not that crazy yet! **

**Gohan Roxas: Yep! Herald's idea, actually. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Yep, they do! Thank you!**

**Alright, you know what I own, and what the others own. If you honestly care about me typing out who owns what, then tell me. Otherwise I'm just gonna keep being lazy, haha.**

Chapter 21: Old Grudges

"Kain, Ven, are you ready?" Marek asked as he stepped into the cockpit. The two nodded and stood up. Rayne brought the ship as low as possible over the Destiny Islands' atmosphere.

"This as low as we're going, boys!" she told them. They nodded, and Marek and Ven immediately walked out toward the loading bay. Kain remained behind for a few seconds, but when Rayne looked at him, he quickly followed the other two.

"Air drop in three…" Marek began. Kain and Ven positioned themselves on either side of him. **(Terra's Theme, Birth by Sleep) **

"Two…." Marek muttered as the ramp opened in front of them. "One. Now!" he yelled to his fellows. The three simultaneously dashed toward the empty Lanes. Kain shot out first, twirling in the air and waiting for them.

Ven jumped out a second later and leaped toward Kain. The dragoon held out his hand, and the blonde clasped it firmly. Without hesitation, Kain spun him through the air and shot him toward the planet. The ship lurched as Marek leaped. By the time he had made it to Kain, the ship had disappeared among the stars. With his hood covering his face and protecting him from the empty air of the Lanes, Marek grabbed onto Kain's hand. "To the ground!" he yelled, spinning Kain the same way Kain had Ven.

Kain shot toward the ground a second later as Marek floated in the atmosphere. He glowed with blue energy and flipped around, his feet hanging above while his face was closest to the planet. He crouched down as if his feet were set on something, and without a backward glance he soared downward.

Ven appeared in the sky first, glowing blue like a comet. He could see little dots of people watching him from the town and summoned his rider. Now having control of his descent, he angled straight for the water and kept heading downward.

Kain then appeared in the sky, his blue armor reflecting the sunlight. He could see Council guards entering the streets by now. So their entry would not go undetected. He sighed as a helmet appeared over his head, covering all of his face.

Ven silently headed for the water and crashed into it, disappearing into the waves. The people gasped at the sight before them, and right after him, Kain flew into the water without slowing down.

By now, Marek had appeared in the sky. His black hood covering his face and his cloak trailing behind him, he waved his arms as they glowed with magic. He soared downward toward the water where his companions had vanished. At the very last second before impact, he flexed his hands.

The water beneath him deflated, making a crater of sorts in the water that gently swallowed him up.

He calmly swam around underwater, looking. Ven, fully encased in his LE armor, was staying in place to his right. Right by him was Kain, also encased in armor. He pointed toward shore and led the way. He swam into a small, concealed tunnel by the play island, followed by the other two. He knew this way was safe, because other than Jack, who had built the tunnel, he was the only one who knew about it. **(end Terra's Theme)**

CAMELOT…

"Just land in that clearing. As soon as we're off, you get out of here. They can't discover the ship. Go back and keep an eye on Shin and Terra." Pierce told Rayne. She nodded, albeit grumpily, as she landed the ship.

"You know how to reach me if you need me." she told her brother. He nodded, and motioned to Griffin, Ava, and Luriel to follow him out.

As soon as they were walking out of the forest clearing, the ship rose into the air and vanished. "It's just us now. No stupid moves, guys. Don't do anything stupid, you two." he told the two girls calmly. They nodded, making sure to stay away from each other as Pierce and Griffin led the way toward the city.

"I'm sure all of our faces have been registered for their warrants. Even with my black hair and scar, I'm sure they'll recognize me. We all need a way of hiding our faces." Pierce told them, putting his hood up.

"Our faces aren't the problem. They'll know you by your clothes, Pierce." Griffin spoke up. He took off the black coat he was wearing and gave it to the older teen. Pierce smiled and put it on with a nod of appreciation. Ava put her own hood up, but Griffin and Lulu had no such things.

"Let's just hope people aren't too suspicious then. After all, I'm their main target." Pierce muttered as they walked through the main gates.

They walked through a poor district and marketplace, before finally coming to a street where many peasants and nobles alike were gathered. The group quickly moved to the side and kept to the shadows as much as possible, all of them keeping their eyes open for Merlin or Gaius.

Pierce suddenly turned to them and put a finger over his mouth, telling them to be silent. He held up his hand to them, pointed at himself and motioned forward. They nodded in understanding, he went ahead alone.

The reason for this was because he had spotted a familiar looking old man standing by a poor man, giving him a remedy of some sort. He recognized the old man from the transmission that Merlin had sent them. He brushed past the old man inconspicuously. "Behind the tavern, now." he whispered, knowing the old man could hear. Gaius pretended not to have heard him and finished talking to the man while Pierce walked back toward his group. They did not have to wait long before Gaius came around the corner, checking to make sure he wasn't being followed. "Well, you lot certainly took your time." he told them as he walked up.

"What has happened since your last transmission?" Pierce asked him at once. Gaius sighed sadly.

"Agravaine and Morgana set up an evil plot to separate Arthur and his love Gwen. They resurrected Lancelot, the knight who sacrificed himself to save us all, and put him under their control. They used him to get Gwen caught in false adultery. Arthur banished her. I fear what Agravaine may do next." he told them. Pierce nodded, thinking about this news.

"We need to talk to Merlin. How can we get into the castle?" he asked. Gaius raised an eyebrow.

"I've already thought of that, Pierce." he told him with a slight smile.

A FEW MINUTES LATER…..

"Out of the way!" Gaius told the guards as he walked in the castle. The four were now wearing flowing red cloaks, and their hoods were all up. Their hands were crossed as if in prayer.

"Sorry, Gaius. We can't let anyone but castle staff and knights in today, king's orders." a black haired knight told him. Gaius turned back and stared at him bravely.

"Gwaine, unless you wish to examine the body of the most recent patient with red thrush fever and possibly catch the disease yourself, you will let my assistants through so they may cleanse the body!" he said irritably. Gwaine looked at him, and quickly looked at his fellow, a tall broad man wearing sleeveless chain mail.

"Percival?" he asked. Percival sighed.

"Let them through." he said, waving them forward.

"Thank you!" Gaius told them impatiently as the four followed him inside.

PHYSICIAN'S QUARTERS…..

Gaius led them inside and shut the door. No sooner had they shed their disguises when the back door opened and Merlin walked into the room. Pierce turned to him. "So you must be Merlin." he greeted. Merlin nodded, smiling widely.

"You must be Pierce!" he replied, walking up and hugging him. Pierce raised his eyebrows as Merlin stepped back. "You look just like your father, except your hair. It seems like just a few days ago that he, Terra, and Ven were in here, asking for help. Arthur has forgotten their loyalty, though. Agravaine has turned him against you." he told him. Pierce sighed.

"How could Arthur just let them go after being friends with them for over fifteen years?" he asked. Merlin sighed.

"That's just it. It's only been four years since Arthur and I left for to fight in the Final War. Time is…..different here than in your worlds. That is why Lorans has such impatience when trying to schedule Council meetings. He has to find a time that fits Arthur's schedule." he told them. The group gasped.

"What?!" they exclaimed. Merlin nodded.

"But you didn't come here to talk. You came because we need your help." he told them.

HUT IN THE VALLEY OF FALLEN KINGS…

Agravaine silently walked down the stone steps toward the valley. He turned and walked up to a tiny hut with smoke rising out of the chimney. He opened the door and stepped inside. "Morgana?" he called out.

"What do you want, Agravaine? You better have a good reason for coming here." Morgana appeared out of nowhere. She wore a long black dress, and her hair was mostly in long dreadlocks. Agravaine turned to her and sighed.

"It is as you predicted. They are here." he told her.

DESTINY ISLANDS…..

"You did not jest when you said that Jack had many contingency plans." Kain muttered. They had reached the surface of the water inside a small cave on the play island. They were now gathered in a circle to draw up plans.

"What now?" Ven asked. Marek put his hood back and drew in the sand with the tip of his Keyblade.

"The governor's house is here." he began, making a dot in the sand. "That's where Xehanort will be. We have to get past here, where all of the guards are." he continued, drawing a line to represent gates.

"What if they already know we're here?" Ven asked. Marek sighed.

"Then we fight our way through. We're two Keyblade masters and a Holy Dragoon. I think we can hold our own." he said simply. The other two smiled and nodded. They stood up and left the cave.

By the time they had crossed to the main island, a great crowd had gathered before them. Not only civilians, but countless Council guards. **(Jump, Two Steps from Hell)**

Marek, Ven, and Kain stepped onto the beach side by side. The soldiers smirked as they formed lines facing the fugitives. The civilians screamed and scattered in terror as all of the soldiers drew swords.

Marek, Ven, and Kain took a few more steps forward, staring into the eyes of those facing them. Kain twirled his lance in his hand and prepared for combat. Marek and Ven summoned their Keyblades, which glowed in the sunlight. Marek took a step forward and held out his blade toward his opponents. "Let's get this over with." he muttered as a dark aura appeared around him. Ven gasped.

"I knew it!" he yelled, stepping forward to kill the man. Kain held out his lance, stopping the blonde. As several soldiers raised their guns and shot at Marek, the former lord of darkness disappeared in a flicker of dark vapor. Ven and Kain angrily charged, two against several hundred. The dragoon leaped high into the air, jumping over bullets shot his way. A second later, he crashed down, knocking several dozen off their feet.

Ven threw his Keyblade, taking out a small group, while at the same casting a tornado spell. The whirlwind fell into the midst of soldiers and scattered many of them.

Kain twirled his lance around his back and struck a soldier, and then crouched to avoid a slash from behind. He put his hands on the ground and held his lance with his feet. He began to spin rapidly, his lance reaching out and clearing the area around him of enemies. He dashed over and kicked one in the back that had been aiming at Ven. The blonde angrily jumped up and shot out a chain lightning spell. The chaotic bolt of electricity shot through several dozen guards and knocked them back, but for however many guards were felled, just as many took their place. "We've been abandoned!" Ven yelled furiously as he and Kain stood back to back, trying to hold off the overwhelming number of enemies. Kain smirked as he saw was Ven didn't.

Right as Ven had said that, a dark vapor had begun to hang over the area. Once the vapor covered the entire army, they began to cough and clutch their throats. "What's going on?!" Ven yelled as enemies began to drop all around him.

"We were not abandoned." Kain told him simply. The vapor rose into the air and exploded. After the flash of light had faded, the vapor was gone and Marek hung suspended in the sky, a look of fury on his face.

"Xehanort…will pay!" he yelled as he whirled around and crashed down to the ground. A chaotic shockwave went in all directions, knocking the entire army off their feet, and not one of them got back up. **(end Jump)**

"So you still use the darkness. I knew you couldn't be trusted!" Ven exclaimed, glaring at Marek while Kain simply walked over to the man's side. Marek stood staring back at him.

"There is no evil in darkness, only in the hearts of those that choose to use it. There is no good in the light, only in the minds of those too biased to know that both are interchangeable. Lorans is immune to light, and must be fought with darkness. I don't care what you think of me. I'm not out to get anyone's approval." he told him, turning to walk away from them, heading toward the big, fortified building in the distance. **(Marek's Theme{He Who Brings the Night, Two Steps from Hell})**

"Marek!" Kain called out, but was ignored.

More soldiers came rushing out of the building toward the advancing man, but he easily brushed them aside. He twirled his blade and raised it back as another came at him. With a swift swing, the soldier went flying onto his back. Marek calmly walked toward the advancing soldiers, showing no fear. He ran forward and slid onto his knees. Spinning while sliding forward, he swung his Keyblade quicker than any eyes could see. The men dropped like flies and could not get close to him.

Suddenly, they withdrew, like some unseen force held them back. A portal appeared behind Marek, who was breathing heavily with rage. Out of the portal stepped his target. Xehanort slowly stepped out, holding his Keyblade at his side and smiling evilly. Marek turned to face him. "You!" he roared angrily, charging. Xehanort held up his blade and blocked Marek's strike.

The younger man quickly sent strike after strike down on the old man's Keyblade, but somehow Xehanort knew his every move.

"You've grown sloppy in your years of exile, Marek. You broadcast all of your moves before you even make them!" he told the younger man. Marek grunted in anger as he back-flipped, kicking Xehanort in the face. He landed a few feet away and looked up to see Xehanort sending dark thunder at him. He leaped up into the air to dodge it and landed right in front of him, where their blades locked together, each trying to knock the other off-balance.

"You will pay for what you did to me, old man. You manipulated both me and Jack for your own gain! You even knew you would lose the second Keyblade War. That's what I was for! The darkness you put in me that day took on its own form. The Illusion controlled me long enough to begin the final war, long enough for me to be unable to stop it! How did you plan all this?!" he yelled. Xehanort smirked.

"How quick you are to forget that you were the one who hungered for darkness in the first place." he replied. Marek shook his head.

"SHUT UP!" he roared, pushing forward with all his might. Xehanort fell of his feet, but teleported up to the top of the building near them. **(end Marek's Theme)**

"Kill them and take their bodies to Lorans!" he told his troops. The troops rushed in again, but Ven and Kain arrived just in time. While Kain held them off long enough, both summoned their riders. Ven soared into the air, closely followed by Marek, who had Kain on the back of his.

"Rayne." Marek began, speaking into his wrist communicator.

"_The mission?"_ she asked him. He sighed.

"The assassination ended in failure. We're coming back." he told her.

**Well I hope you liked it! If you didn't, bite me, I don't care, lol. But I do have one favor to ask of you all, minus Herald and he'll know why: if you possibly have any spare time, please check out Celeron96's KH3: Dawning War. He's lost a lot of reviewers and he's really struggling right now. If you could please do that for me, then you have my absolute thanks. **

**One last thing: With this chapter, we have passed the length of IDoD! Hopefully we'll pass the reviews too!**


	22. Ch 22: The Siege of Camelot

**Well, I wasn't going to update since there were only three reviews, but you can thank Herald for talking me into it. Here are the shout outs:**

**Celeron96: Thanks, and that was the easiest thing. You're welcome.**

**13TheAce: Well, we'll see won't we? Thanks. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Marek just gets the spotlight because he's still just joined the group. He won't have the spotlight this time, I promise.**

**This is the fewest amount of reviews I've had since IDoD. Wow, I really do feel kind of bummed. Celeron, we're in the same boat.**

**Alright, you know who everyone belongs to.**

Chapter 22: The Siege of Camelot

"So what can we do to help?" Pierce asked. Merlin sighed as he and Gaius sat down facing the four teens.

"Well, we know that Agravaine is plotting with Morgana. I am sure he already suspects you. We need to find some way of showing his true colors to Arthur." Gaius explained.

"Well, can't you two just talk to him about it?" Ava asked. Merlin shook his head.

"No. He trusts Agravaine more than anyone. We need solid proof his betrayal." he explained.

"So if Arthur were to discover that we were here, he'd arrest us?" Lulu asked. Merlin nodded sadly.

"That's why we disguised you to get you inside." he explained.

"So let me get this straight…." Pierce began. At that moment, someone began banging on the door.

"Gaius! We know there are people in there! Open up!" yelled a voice. It took less than two seconds for the group to know what to do. Merlin ran into his bedroom while the four surrounded Gaius with their weapons drawn.

"Help me!" Gaius yelled, hoping this would work. The knights rushed in and looked at the scene before them.

"Lord Agravaine was right. Arrest them!" yelled a blonde haired knight. Gwaine and Percival approached the teens, who lowered their weapons without a fight.

"Thank you, sir Leon." Gaius gasped in relief as Merlin walked out of his bedroom.

"So who are they?" he asked the knight. Leon sighed.

"The Council's highest fugitives. I can't believe they got in the castle somehow. You two are needed in the court immediately to help decide our next course of action." he explained to them. With that, he turned and walked out of the room, Gwaine and Percival leading the prisoners right behind.

Gaius and Merlin looked at each other and sighed.

GREAT HALL…

"Well done Leon, Gwaine, and Percival. Thank you for your timely information, uncle." Arthur told said people as the prisoners were led into the room. Pierce sighed as he, Griffin, Ava, and Lulu were forced to kneel in front of the king.

"You are Pierce Rikkison, son of former hero Jack Rikkison, are you not?" Arthur questioned him, not getting off of his throne. Pierce slowly nodded.

"That is my only crime, being the son of a hero who was unjustly slaughtered." he replied calmly. Arthur shook his head.

"No. Your father and the rest of the Light's Enforcers betrayed the Council. I've seen the evidence with my own eyes. Your father betrayed us, and reaped the consequences." he told the boy. Pierce was on his feet before anyone could even move to stop him.

He snapped his shackles off with a fire spell and stepped toward Arthur. He did not summon his blade, however. "How quickly you forget who your true friends were, Arthur Pendragon. How quickly you forget that at my father's call, you came and fought at his side. The throne has weakened your mind, and your resolve. If any part of you was truly ever my father's friend, then you would realize the lies Lorans has deceived you with, and you would let us go." he told the blonde haired king.

More guards quickly forced Pierce back into position as Arthur stood up. He slowly walked down the steps and stood a few feet in front of them. "I cannot grant your wish. But I do remember the good that Jack and the others did me. I cannot let you free, that's out of my hands. But you will not die a needless death. That will be my last gift to your father, and my conscience will be clear." he told Pierce.

"Agravaine has turned you against your friends, once great king. Your welcoming trust in deceivers has clouded your judgment." Pierce told him simply. Arthur stared down at him angrily.

"You know not of what you speak. I was willing to offer you mercy, and yet still you insult me so! Take them to the dungeons. They can stay there until Lorans comes to pick them up. By now, Braig should have dealt with the rest of their gang." he told Leon. The knight nodded and, with a group of fellow knights, dragged the prisoners from the room.

Arthur sighed and turned to the crowd in the room. "Now, we celebrate my birthday! The feast awaits!" he declared. The crowd applauded and cheered, and no one saw Agravaine quietly slip out of the room.

FUGITIVES' CAMPSITE…..

"Terra?" Rayne called out. She had just landed the ship, and was walking around the camp. No one was there. "Shin!" she yelled. She suddenly heard loud noises coming from the woods to her right. "Terra!" she gasped, quickly rushing toward the noise.

She crashed through loose undergrowth and leaped through bushes and low hanging branches. It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for. There was a patch of forest straight ahead that had ten foot gaps between each tree.

Shin had his back to her and was staring ahead of him toward the sky. Rayne looked up and gasped to see the ferocious beast that Terra had become in Radiant Garden. She was hovering in the air about twelve feet above Shin, and she was roaring chaotically. "Terra, let it tire itself out! Don't be afraid of it! It's okay, I'm right here with you!" he told her over the noise. Terra roared and crashed through a pair of trees, smashing them to bits.

Rayne watched, not knowing what to do, for several moments. After what seemed like an eternity, Terra began to descend down to the ground. Her eyes slowly shut, and Shin stepped forward to catch her. The second her feet hit the ground, she returned to her normal form. She fell into his arms, and he held her tightly, not letting her fall. She was unconscious, so he picked her up and began to carry her back. When he turned around, he saw Rayne standing there.

"You followed us?" he asked somewhat angrily. She shook her head.

"I got back and the camp was empty. I heard noises, so I just came to make sure everything was okay." she told him, somewhat surprised by his rudeness. He sighed and quickly nodded.

"I'm sorry, it's just…..I'm still not used to having other people around. I'm the only one that she ever told about these…transformations. I don't mean to be rude or anything. I just get very overprotective of her. She's the only friend I've got, and that goes both ways." he said in apology. She nodded in understanding.

"For the longest time, I was alone too, you know." she told him.

"Really?" he asked her as they began walking back together. She nodded.

"My birth was…..complicated. My mother was pregnant with me, but she was put into a sort of stasis by Marek for twelve years. He was under Xehanort's influence. So I was in there, frozen, just like her. When my father rescued us, I began to grow rapidly. In a matter of days, I was twelve years old. My father was always away, fighting. My mother had no idea how to raise me alone. MY parents were only six years older than me." she told him.

"Wow. Talk about pressure." he commented, completely shocked by her story. She laughed quietly.

"Add the fact that I was the true form of the X-blade, and that's something else. So what triggers these….transformations?" she asked him, looking at Terra. He sighed.

"They're random, mostly. Always have been. They can happen when she feels threatened, or very emotional, or even in her sleep. I could feel this one coming on, so I took her away from the camp so she could let it all out. She wouldn't hurt me. Even in her feral state, she recognizes me." he explained. She nodded.

"I hope one day she can control it." she said. Her wrist communicator started beeping.

"_Rayne, we have a problem." _came Marek's voice.

"What is it?" she asked. This time she heard Kain's voice.

"_Braig's on his way to the campsite. I don't know how he keeps finding us, but he's coming." _he said. Rayne gasped and looked at Shin, who was still holding the unconscious Terra.

"Get her in the ship! I'll start packing everything I can! Meet me back out here and help as soon as you can!" she told him. He nodded and quickly hurried inside the ship to lay Terra in one of the beds in the back. "How far away are you guys?" she asked her communicator as she started packing away the tents.

"_We'll meet you in the atmosphere. You've got maybe ten minutes at the most." _Ven spoke. She gasped and continued packing as Shin came out to help her.

"_Rayne, that's not all of it. Pierce and the others are in prison in Camelot." _Marek said. Rayne shook her head.

"We'll talk when we meet up! Just get here!" she yelled, shutting off the communication and picking up an armful of stuff to carry inside.

CAMELOT, GREAT HALL…

"Has anyone seen Agravaine?" Arthur asked. Most of the nobles had gathered in the castle to feast and celebrate the young king's birthday.

"No, my lord. He's not been seen since this morning." Merlin told him as he poured more wine in Arthur's cup.

SECRET TUNNEL, OUTER GATES…

"Well you took your time getting here." Morgana muttered as they walked up to the hidden gate. Agravaine sighed.

"I had to get the plans and get out without the king noticing." he told her, surprised at her behavior toward him. She rolled her eyes and turned to the dark skinned man next to her.

"Helios, lead the way." she told him, drawing her sword. Helios smirked as he stepped inside, quickly followed by the other two and their countless soldiers.

DUNGEONS….

"Morgana. She's here." Pierce suddenly said.

"How do you know?" Griffin asked him. He stood up and looked at the door.

"Because I do. What better time to invade the city than when we're all in here?" he asked. The others stood up as he summoned his Keyblade and pointed it at the cell door.

"Open." he muttered. Without hesitation, the door swung open. The four wasted no time in making their way back upstairs, but not before Lulu knocked out the guard and took her sickles back.

GREAT HALL…..

Everyone turned as Gwaine came sprinting into the room. "Sire, we're under attack! They're inside the city walls!" he yelled. Arthur's face turned grim as he stood up and turned to Percival.

"Get the people out of here. Have Leon mobilize the knights and lead our troops against them." he told him, taking off his cloak and drawing his sword.

"Sire, you must get out of here. It's you that Morgana wants!" Gaius told him, standing up from the table. Arthur shook his head.

"I won't flee while my people risk their lives." he told him firmly. Gaius sighed and glanced at Merlin as the doors flew open.

Several of Morgana's men came flying in and landed on their backs, unconscious. "Are we late? It didn't start without us, did it?" Luriel asked as Pierce and them stepped inside.

"Still don't want our help?" he asked the king. Arthur glared angrily.

"Put them back in the dungeons and call the Council for reinforcements! Double the…" he began to yell. A clang to the back of his head, and he fell onto his face, revealing Merlin holding a metal man.

"What? Someone had to do it!" he told them, smiling for a second as he and Pierce went to pick him up.

"We have to get out of here. If Morgana gets any of us….." Ava told them as she, Griffin, and Luriel turned to the doors, their weapons raised.

"Merlin, lead the way! Griffin can help me carry him." Pierce yelled. Merlin nodded and opened a back door.

"Merlin!" Gaius yelled. As the four fugitives ran through the door, Merlin walked back toward Gaius, who was standing with Gwaine.

"Take care of our king." he told him, hugging him tightly. Merlin nodded.

"I will." he promised, turning to Gwaine.

"I'll hold 'em off as long as I can." he promised. Merlin nodded.

"I'll see you both again!" he yelled as something smashed against the doors, trying to get in. Merlin had barely gone through and shut the hidden door when the doors burst open and Morgana and her men walked inside.

TO BE CONTINUED….

**Not my best chapter, but there it was. Don't forget to review, guys. **


	23. Ch 23: Chase

**Well, I'm exhausted from my day, but here I am cranking out another 2500 word chapter for you guys! Herald, I know that's like a tenth of one of yours, but that's like 800 more words than I was doing at the beginning of RTDoD. Alright, shout outs:**

**Celeron96: No, they went with Pierce, Merlin, Griffin, and Arthur. Well, hey, DW is my favorite story right now, so don't worry about it. **

**The Unknowing Herald: At least Terra came back and was badass at the end of BBS, though. More or less. Thanks, and I'm glad I did it well! Lol, well don't spoil it! Lol, with Shin, Kain, Ven, and Rayne there, too, but Terra and Marek are the only ones who could fight? Lol. **

**Shadowdragon1317: It's fine, it was just the fact that like everyone did, lol. **

**TWI1GHTMAST3R: That's what I was thinking as I was writing it, lol. Thor will be awesome! "How desperate are you….that you would come to me for help?" LOKI! **

**13TheAce: Because all through the series Arthur is being deceived, lol. **

**Gohan Roxas: You're fine, don't worry.**

**Alright. I own Lorans and the Rikkisons. AW owns Ava, TEL owns Griffin, Celeron owns Luriel, and Herald owns Shin. I get everyone? Anyone I forgot, I'm sorry. **

Chapter 23: Chase

"Where are you leading us?!" Pierce panted as they ran through the forest. The unconscious Arthur was propped up between him and Griffin while Merlin led the way forward. Ava and Luriel followed a few steps behind, weapons ready in case of an attack.

"Where are Percival and Elyan?" Merlin asked as he glanced backward.

"They were here a second ago!" Ava shouted back.

"Incoming!" Griffin suddenly yelled. The group dove to the ground as three of Morgana's men came running out toward them. Pierce landed on top of Arthur to shield him and heard two sickening thuds as Lulu's sickles found their marks. As she ran up to the bodies to get her weapons, Griffin threw his Keyblade into the air and his eyes glowed bright green.

The Keyblade turned into a serpent and quickly slithered up to the last man. It quickly encased him and coiled tightly, before baring its fangs and sinking them into the man's neck. "Run, now!" Pierce told them as he leapt to his feet, carrying Arthur single-handed. He slung the unconscious king across his back and began to follow Merlin through the brush. The other three were not far behind.

FUGITIVES' CAMPSITE…..

"_Rayne, are you in the air yet?!" _Marek's voice asked urgently. Rayne sighed and spoke into her wrist as Shin continued carrying stuff inside.

"No, we're still packing everything!" she exclaimed.

"_Rayne, get out of there now! There's no more time!" _Kain yelled. She ran back to the fire pit and stamped out the ashes while Shin carried the last tent into the ship.

"Rayne, c'mon!" he yelled, setting it down and drawing his sword. She gasped as ships appeared in the sky.

"We're too late!" she yelled as ropes were lowered and soldiers began to land all around them.

"Then we fight!" he yelled, holding his broad bladed sword at the ready. **(Shin's Theme{Hot Wind Blowing extended, Metal Gear Rising} courtesy of Herald)**

Rayne sighed as she summoned her Keyblade. She looked up at the lead ship, where Braig was hanging halfway out the door to the ship, hanging on to the latch inside, smirking evilly. She yelled angrily as she charged toward the countless enemies. She cart-wheeled past one's swing and quickly took out another with a kick to his face. As they closed in around her, she spun in a circle, sending a strong gust of wind in all directions.

She glanced to the side as Shin slammed down on top of a man, impaling him. The brown haired teen smirked as he quickly pulled it out and held it out to the others around him. "Who's next?" he asked them, smiling. Rayne shook her head.

"_He's enjoying this just a bit too much." _she thought as she raised her blade into the air. Electricity began to flow all around her, making her glow. she threw her arms out, electrocuting all around her.

Shin smirked as he ran toward another group approaching him. He threw his sword at one, hitting him in the face. He punched another off his feet, making him fly back into his fellows. He rolled under a swing and came up with his feet kicking forward. He landed on a man's chest, and pushed off, jumping into the air. He caught his sword while back-flipping and landed, impaling his sword in the ground. The soldiers flew backward as golden energy shot in all directions.

Rayne stepped backward as Shin landed at her side. "Get the ship in the air. I'll handle these punks." he told her, holding his sword ready. She sighed at his recklessness, but did as requested.

Shin twirled his sword and held it back, ready to attack. "One last chance to run." he told the soldiers calmly. They all charged, and he smirked. "Oh well." he muttered. He dashed forward faster than could be seen. Within seconds, he was in the heart of the army, swinging his sword so fast that none could get near him.

"Get away from my friends!" he roared angrily as he leaped up and front-flipped in the air. He began to glow with charged energy, and he yelled furiously as he slammed into the ground again, knocking every enemy in the clearing off of their feet. **(end Shin's Theme)**

He panted, trying to catch his breath as the ship rose into the air. "Shin, get on!" Rayne yelled through the radio. He sighed and began heading toward it, but even more soldiers landed from Braig's ship.

"Give me a break…." he muttered, still trying to catch his breath as he raised his sword.

Suddenly, black smoke filled the entire clearing, and Shin heard a voice close to his hear. "Get to the ship. We'll cover you." it was Kain's voice. He silently nodded and began running blindly through the fog.

"Shin!" yelled Terra from the ramp, hovering in the air.

"They're targeting us! I can't hover much longer!" Rayne yelled as Braig's ship slowly turned to face them. Terra cast a Firaga, which landed in the middle of the smoke.

"Shin, hurry!" she screamed frantically. Shin saw the spell and quickly ran toward it. When he reached it, he could see the ship. Unhesitatingly, he leaped up and caught the ramp with his fingertips. He felt something press against the bottom of his foot, and he flew up onto the ramp. Kain climbed up right after. They all quickly ran into the cockpit.

"The others?" Rayne asked. Kain quickly looked out the window.

"Giving us time to get clear. Go now." he explained.

As Rayne pulled the ship out of view, the smoke cleared almost immediately.

Braig was now on the ground, rallying his men. "Find them!" he yelled. Suddenly, a familiar blonde stepped out from behind a tree.

"Looking for me?!" Ven yelled happily. He blew raspberries at them and whirled around. He bent over and smacked his backside playfully. "Come and get me!" he taunted, taking off into the woods. **(Chase theme, AC Brotherhood)**

"After him!" Braig roared. His men quickly charged into the woods after the runaway.

Ven panted as he sprinted further into the woods. He barely had time to glance back as he leaped over fallen logs and slid under low hanging branches. He quickly grew short of breath after running for a few minutes. "Come on, Ven! It's not much farther, just keep going!" he urged himself.

With a determined sigh, he sprinted on, jumping over a small ditch and easily clearing the other side. A few soldiers chasing him, however, weren't so lucky.

Finally, Ven made it out of the trees and ran into another clearing, but this one had an abandoned set of buildings. He ran toward the nearest one and quickly ran up the wall, grabbing onto the top and pulling himself up. He managed to cast a mine spell right behind him as he sprinted across the rooftop. He heard the explosion that meant someone had run into it and been blasted off the roof.

He smirked as he reached the end of the roof and leaped across to the adjacent building. The first two soldiers following him missed the jump and fell three stories to the ground.

Ven threw his arm back and shot a Thundaga backward, and while it definitely hit someone, whoever it was pushed through the pain. He took just enough time to glance backward and saw over a dozen soldiers still chasing him. He shook his head as he looked back in front of him, and saw two things.

One, he was reaching the end of the rooftop.

Two, Braig was waiting for him. Ven yelled in surprise as Braig tripped him at the last inch of rooftop, and the blonde went flying across the gap to the next roof, landing on his backside and sliding a few feet.

He quickly jumped back onto his feet and continued running, however. He smirked as he leaped to the last rooftop and ran to the edge. **(end Chase)**

He slowly turned around and watched Braig and his men leap onto the roof. "It's over, traitor. Surrender and you'll die quickly." Braig told him, raising his arrowgun. Ven sighed and shook his head.

"I don't think so." he told him calmly. Braig frowned, realizing the presence he had missed.

"Down, get down now!" he yelled, pulling out his other arrowgun and readying them both.

"You should leave, while you still can." Marek announced as he walked out of a dark portal. Braig's mouth twitched in fury.

"You know you can't win this fight. I suggest you tuck your tail between your legs and run on home to your master like a good dog." Marek told him, calmly holding out his Keyblade as insurance. Braig glared at him for several seconds, before slowing touching the radio in his ear.

"Call everyone back. We're calling off the hunt, for now." he told his fellows on the ship. Marek and Ven smirked before simultaneously leaping into the air, summoning their riders, and soaring into the clouds.

CAMELOT…..

It was not long before the group had disappeared into the thickest part of the woods. They had found a hut nearby with clothes. Although they were pretty small on Arthur, no one would recognize him as the king of Camelot. "So where do we go from here, Merlin?" Pierce asked him as they stopped for a break. The young man sighed.

"I was thinking about heading to my home village, Ealdor." he replied. Pierce nodded.

"You know this world, I don't. You decide where we go." he told him. He sighed as he began to hear Ava and Lulu going at each other and got up to settle them down.

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL CHAMBERS…..

Lorans calmly stood up and addressed his fellow members. Xehanort, Mika, Vasey, Cecil, and Mickey all stood. "King Arthur Pendragon is no longer in command of Camelot. The city's new ruler is taking his place. Welcome…..the lady Morgana Pendragon!" he declared. The five clapped unenthusiastically as Morgana walked in and slowly sat down in Arthur's seat. She smiled evilly, Arthur's crown sitting on her head, a relic from the kingdom stolen of its rightful ruler.

UNKNOWN WORLD….

"What happened…..?" Terra muttered as she slowly stood up from where she was lying against the wall. The lights in the ship were all off, so there must have been some sort of power damage.

"We were hit as he left atmosphere…." Rayne muttered, sprawled out on the floor next to the pilot's chair.

"Then we crashed….." Shin muttered, still strapped to his seat, clutching his head.

"Then we ended up here." Kain finished. The four groaned as they all struggled to their feet. They heard a tap on the window.

"Anyone alive in there?" Ven asked, smiling widely. They sighed, but smiled.

Marek pried open the ramp, and it was then that they realized the ship was lying on its side. "Where are we?" Rayne asked as she led the way out. Shin passed by Marek, still wary of the man he didn't trust.

"The perfect place to make our new camp." Ven told her.

"Why, what world is this?" Kain asked. Marek gestured to the ruins behind him and smiled sadly.

"This was the Land of Departure." he said. The group gasped and looked, all except for Shin and Terra. Sure enough, they could see the remains of the once grand and white castle that had belonged to Master Eraqus. Little of its beauty remained.

**Well, there you go. Hope you liked it! If not, eh bite me. Don't forget to review. Now I'm probably gonna crash for the night! See ya later!**


	24. Ch 24: Trouble On Two Worlds

**Sorry about the lack of updates, guys. I planned to last night, but things came up. Alrighty, shout outs:**

**Shadowdragon1317: Lol, I think we all do! Oh, you're fine, don't worry!**

**Celeron96: Getting kind of predictable now, huh? Lol.**

**13TheAce: He knows when he's beaten, lol. It's only been a couple hours in Camelot. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, since the world was taken out almost completely(again), it's one of the last places they would look. Ha, well Marek is about tied with Jack for my favorite. But since JR was my very first, he'll always be my favorite.**

**The Unknowing Herald: Thanks, and I don't know yet if there will be or not. I've yet to work on anything after chapter 35, so…thanks, and nope! You'll see how it goes. Yep, we'll see! **

**Gohan Roxas: Thanks, Brotherhood was my favorite game. I despise AC3 with a burning passion. **

**Alright, you know what everyone owns. I honestly am just too lazy to type it out. It's been a long week. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter. Here it is!**

Chapter 24: Trouble on Two Worlds

Merlin was still leading the four teens, who were still carrying Arthur, through the woods. "Do you really know where you're going?!" Lulu exclaimed in irritation. They had been wandering in the woods for hours, and they were exhausted from carrying Arthur. Merlin sighed and looked around, breathing heavily from all their activity.

"Wait, I see something." he told them, staring ahead of the group. He turned away, and his eyes glowed orange. In his mind, Merlin could see the road ahead. He saw a wagon laden with various items, and a pack of fugitives heading the same way they were. "There's a caravan ahead. We could go see if they're friendly." he suggested to the group. Pierce sighed and nodded.

"Beats stumbling around in the woods." Ava muttered.

NOTTINGHAM, TAVERN….

A hooded figure walked toward the tavern, taking great precautions to make sure he wasn't being followed. It had been a very bad day for him. It had been a bad few months for him, to be honest. Ever since he had been captured by Gisborne that day, he had been living a lie. He had been forced to begin betraying Robin's secrets to the man in black in order to save his life.

But today, Robin had figured out that one of them was a spy. He sighed as he silently slipped inside. The tavern was empty, except for a single serving girl who was scrubbing tables. "Almost kept your money." she told him as she passed a bag of coins across the table. He shook his head.

"No, tell him I'm done. I've been living a lie, and I shouldn't have done it." he told her worriedly. She rolled her eyes.

"Once a traitor, always a traitor." she told him indifferently.

"I couldn't agree more." said a voice. The man swallowed hard as his heart fell in fear. He turned ever so slowly, and put back his hood.

"Robin, let me explain….." he began. Robin shook his head and walked into the room.

"Get out." he told the girl in calm fury. She quickly scampered out, leaving them alone. "I need to talk….to my spy." he whispered dangerously. The man gulped.

"Robin, I had no choice." he begged. Robin shook his head.

"There is always a choice, Allan, and you've made yours. What does Gisborne know?" he asked him. Allan calmly shook his head.

"Nothing important. Listen, Robin, he tortured me! He was gonna kill me unless I did what he wanted, alright?! I never told him anything important, Robin, I swear!" he told his leader, desperately trying to find forgiveness. Robin moved his face closer to Allan's.

"Does he know about the camp? Does he know….about Marian?" he asked in a dangerous hush. Allan shook his head.

"I didn't tell him, I swear!" he exclaimed. Without hesitation, Robin drew his dagger and had it pressed against Allan's throat.

"You're lucky I've left you with a life to swear upon. Get out, and never, _ever_, let me set eyes on you again!" he told him, shaking his head in disappointment. With that, he vanished into the shadows and disappeared.

CAMELOT…..

The group made sure they were heard approaching so that the caravan wouldn't be alarmed by their sudden appearance. It came as no small surprise when Merlin found the tip of a dagger pressed against his back. He stopped and held his hands up, before slowly turning around. He was, however, shocked to find a woman holding the dagger, smiling at him. "Hello." she said casually. She was beautiful, and had long blonde hair. The rest of the group caught up, and by this time the woman was joined by tall blonde-haired man in a brown coat.

"And what are the six of you doing in the forest outside Camelot?" he asked them, fingering his sword. Despite trying to look intimidating, he didn't have a menacing air around him. Dangerous yes, but not evil.

"We're heading north." Merlin told him simply. He raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Well, you four look very…..outlandish." he said, turning to the Keybladers. Pierce nodded.

"We're not from around here. Our homes lie down past Ealdor." he told him, remembering the name of Merlin's home. The man nodded.

"Alright, well I suppose you're not a threat. Disappear within ten minutes, and I'll let you go." he told them, turning to head back to whatever business he had been doing before.

"Could we not come with you?" Merlin asked, stepping forward. The man and woman turned back around in surprise.

"Don't push your luck, boy. You're lucky I'm letting you leave with your lives." he told him, rolling his eyes. Pierce quickly took Arthur's bag of gold and tossed it to Merlin, who held it up.

"We can pay you!" he called out desperately. With that, the man immediately stopped and turned back around. A smile slowly appeared on his face as he glanced at his female companion.

"Well why didn't you say so before?" he asked, friendly now.

LATER THAT NIGHT…..

Arthur awoke with a start. He looked up to see Merlin sitting right in front of him and slowly relaxed. He looked around. He and his servant were sitting around a small fire. Several dozen yards away, there was another big fire going, surrounded by unfamiliar people. "What happened?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Camelot's been taken." Merlin told him grimly. Arthur looked at him instantly, his eyes gone wide.

"Then I have to go back." he said, quickly standing up and reaching for his sword.

"Arthur, I wouldn't do that just yet." Pierce said as he, Griffin, Ava, and Lulu walked up to the fire and looked at the former Council member warily.

Arthur looked at them and quickly drew his sword. He backed away and held it up threateningly. "Merlin, you've betrayed me!" he seethed furiously.

"I've done nothing of the sort, Arthur. They are not your enemy. It is because of them that you are not sitting in a cell waiting for Morgana to execute you." Merlin told him calmly as the Keybladers stared at the king, equally as calm as Merlin.

"The LE betrayed the worlds, and were eliminated to protect the populace. Why would the survivors of the murdered be friends with one who supported the action? No, this is all some trick." he muttered to himself. He stepped back and swung his sword once, keeping everyone away from him.

"If I wished you harm, Arthur Pendragon, you would be dead in Camelot. I only wish to make you see the truth behind Lorans' schemes. He has gone behind your back and conspired with Morgana and her allies, including Agravaine." he calmly told him. Arthur shook his head.

"No…..That's not possible. Agravaine…..?" he muttered.

"He's been hunting us through these woods for the past several hours, and he will continue to do so until you are Morgana's prisoner. Please try to see sense, Arthur Pendragon, friend of my father." Pierce told him, albeit somewhat coldly. Arthur stared at them for several silent seconds. Finally, he slowly began to lower his sword, and eventually put it back in its sheath.

"Talk. You have an hour to convince me that Lorans is really who you say he is." he told them, sitting back down.

THE LAND OF DEPARTURE…..

"Make sure you stay close to the ship. We still don't know what could be lurking inside." Rayne told Terra and Shin, who were curiously picking at the refuse. She sighed, looking down at Soriah, who she was holding in her arms.

She smiled at Ven as he came walking out of the ship with the bottle she had asked for. She gave it to the baby, who eagerly put it to his mouth. She gently bounced him, and his eyes began to droop before he had even finished his bottle. Marek came walking out of one of the dark doorways and sighed. "We're the only living things here." he announced, dismissing his Keyblade. Rayne nodded and handed Soriah over to Terra, who watched him, along with Shin.

Rayne, Ven, and Marek summoned their riders and began their next plan of action: to flip the ship back onto its right side up. Kain placed both hands on the hull and prepared to push, and Shin came to help, too. The three Keybladers gently brought their riders up against the ship, and with Kain and Shin's help, managed to push the ship back up again.

Despite being a team again, Shin passed Marek with a hateful expression and quickly returned to Terra's side.

"Guys, there's a transmission coming in!" Terra yelled, who had just gone inside. The five quickly ran inside to join her.

"Where from?" Kain asked.

"It's from Nottingham….." Ven muttered, confused. Marek smirked.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this mission….." he muttered, laughing quietly to himself. The group looked at him, not knowing what he was talking about. He sighed as Rayne brought up the transmission.

In the background, they could see the inside of some sort of forest camp. Standing in front of the screen was a lean young man, probably around twenty-five years old. He had a green hooded jacket, and brown pants. He smiled. "I've been trying to find a way to contact you for a while, my friends. How goes the struggle against the Council?" he asked.

As Rayne opened her mouth to ask who the man was, Ven spoke. "Good to see you again, Robin. We've already turned one member against Lorans. Cecil is his own self again. Hopefully, Pierce will have turned Arthur in a matter of days. After that, our next choice will most likely be to talk to Mickey." he explained. The man Ven called Robin smiled.

"That's great news. Things are getting worse here, I'm afraid. Vasey and Gisborne are attacking the people now more than ever. We can't do this on our own anymore. We're just five against the corrupt Prince John and his army of slaves like Vasey. On top of that, Lorans has set his eye on us, as well. We need aid, now and whatever you can give." he told Ven. The blonde nodded.

"Half of our group is away right now, but we'll send who we can. I'm on my way, along with whoever else will join me." he told him. Robin smiled.

"Thank you, my friend. You know how to find us when you arrive." he told him, ending the transmission. Ven sighed and stood up.

"So who's coming?" he asked.

"Shouldn't we all go?" she asked.

"I'll stay here." Shin muttered, eyeing Marek suspiciously. The white haired man laughed quietly.

"Face it, kid. You're not going anywhere, and I'm not going anywhere. You might as well get used to me." he told him calmly, walking to the back of the ship to get ready for the journey. Shin sighed as Terra put her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her, smiled slightly, and nodded.

"Then it's decided." Kain said, turning to Ven and Rayne as everyone else left the cockpit. Rayne handed him Soriah as she sat on the pilot's seat and activated the engines. Ven smirked and sat in the co-pilot's seat while Kain stood there awkwardly holding Soriah, who was staring at him expectantly. Kain groaned, not having the slightest idea of how to take care of a baby.

**So, just one more chapter and then Pierce will take up Jack's last piece of advice, about visiting a certain world with a swamp and a cave! Hope you enjoyed it and don't forget to review!**


	25. Ch 25: Tristan and Isolde

**What's up, guys? I'm glad you all liked the last chapter. This one will be a little longer, but no one's complaining about that, right? Shout outs:**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, I could have just not put her in at all, you know! Haha, I know you're kidding. **

**Gohan Roxas: You're right, lol.**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: You'll find out in the chapter after this one. **

**13TheAce: Haha, that sounds about right! Yep, you'll see it in about four chapters, lol! **

**Celeron96: Very good, my young apprentice! Make a cameo in this story, Star Wars will, *Yoda-like laugh*.**

**Shadowdragon1317: Lol, yep! I'll get to it as soon as I'm done with this!**

**Alright, two things: One, I have a new poll up that will determine what happens after I'm done with this story and Dissidia. Two, how do you guys feel about the pace of the story right now? I realize that we're slow in getting into the worlds, but I want to focus on characterization and group bonding instead of just jumping from world to world, fighting, you know what I mean? **

**Alright, you know what I own. If you don't know what I and everyone else owns, then you skipped some chapters and need to go back. **

Chapter 25: Tristan and Isolde

"I never knew the truth. I should have known that Lorans wasn't who he said he was." Arthur muttered, having heard Pierce's story with an open mind. Pierce sighed and nodded.

"You've put your kingdom in the hands of the wrong people. Morgana has taken your place on the Council, and we know that Lorans helped her do it. What do you plan to do now?" he asked. Arthur sighed.

"I don't know. Without Camelot, I am nobody. I can't help you, I'm sorry, Pierce." he replied.

"We're not here wanting your help, Arthur. We came to help you." Ava told him.

"For our parents' sakes, we came to help you get your kingdom back." Griffin said.

"My father believed in you, Arthur, with all his heart. It's only right that I do the same." Pierce told him.

"Down!" Arthur yelled suddenly. Pierce dove to the ground, tackling Merlin as countless arrows came flying through the trees around them.

The blonde-haired man and his group ran for cover, but most were hit where they sat. "We've got to help them!" Merlin yelled. Arthur nodded, holding his sword.

"Lulu, Ava, get Merlin and Arthur back to the wagon where the survivors are hiding." Pierce told the girls.

"What about you?" Ava asked him, worried. He smiled calmly.

"We've got it handled, now go!" he told her. She nodded, and held her Keyblade ready as she and Lulu led Arthur and Merlin through the trees. "Griffin, do your thing!" he yelled as he shot a Thundaga through the trees. He couldn't see his attackers.

Griffin glowed bright orange as he jumped above the log he was hiding behind and threw his Keyblade out into the woods ahead of him. His blade glowed bright brown and transformed into a monstrous bear.

The bear had dark brown fur and its fangs and claws were several inches long each. It roared furiously as it charged through the forest, drawing the attackers from their cover. "What is that?!" screamed one.

"Morgana never said anything about this!" screamed another. The bear chased countless soldiers away, giving Pierce and Griffin enough time to make it back behind the wagon. Only the man and the woman had survived out of their group.

"Isolde, are you hurt?" the man asked her. She shook her head.

"No, Tristan, I'm fine." she assured him. He looked over at them.

"Who are you? Morgana Pendragon's men wouldn't attack just anyone with such fierceness, would they? And that bear, that is no natural thing." he demanded of them.

"My name…..is Arthur Pendragon." Arthur told him calmly as he picked up a crossbow and began firing at the returning attackers. Griffin grunted in pain.

"Something took out my beast." he told them when they looked at him questioningly.

"We have to get away from here." Pierce said.

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Tristan told them angrily. "It's because of arrogant nobles like the Pendragons that I'm forced to live my life as a smuggler." he said.

"Get down!" Isolde yelled, pushing him out of the way. She gasped as an arrow found its way into her side.

"Isolde!" Tristan yelled as he caught her before she hit the ground.

"I'm fine…." she muttered, lying in his arms.

"We have to get her out of here. I can lead you to Ealdor. It's safe there, and we can treat her." Merlin assured him, crouching down next to them and feeling her wound, making sure it didn't puncture anything. Tristan hesitated angrily, but Isolde touched his hand and nodded silently. He sighed, before looking to Merlin and nodding.

"You guys go! We'll make sure they don't get through!" Pierce told them, standing up and throwing his Keyblade at a soldier who was getting close.

"Just hold them until they get clear!" Luriel yelled as she threw a sickle straight ahead of her. It bounced off a tree and rebounded back, hitting a man hiding out of sight. Ava cast an earth spell that made many soldiers fall to the ground, and Griffin wasted no time in transforming his blade into a hulking rhino that charged through their enemies.

EALDOR, LATER THAT NIGHT…..

The group slowly walked into the small village. A single woman was sweeping grass off of her doorstep when she looked up. She smiled widely and gasped in surprise as she ran toward them. "Merlin!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around the young man. He smiled.

"Hello, mother. We need shelter for the night, so we can treat her wound." he explained, gesturing to Isolde, who was being carried by Tristan, refusing to let anyone else help him. Merlin's mother nodded and led them into her house.

"How is she?" Merlin asked his mother as they were the only two still outside. They were staring inside of a nearby house where a young woman was kneeling on the floor silently, watching the wall in front her.

"As well as can be expected. Broken hearts take time to heal." his mother told him. He nodded.

"I hope you'll be alright, Gwen." he whispered, knowing she couldn't hear him.

AN HOUR LATER…..

"Well, the arrow's out. There's no sign of infection, so she should be good to go in a day or so." Merlin announced, standing up, having just finished treating Isolde's wound. Tristan smiled. He, Arthur, and Griffin were all sitting at the table. Ava and Luriel were patrolling the town together. Pierce figured it would give them time to bond, since now would be a perfect time for that.

"Thank you for everything you've done for her, Merlin." Tristan told him sincerely. Merlin smiled and nodded.

It wasn't that much later in the night that Arthur woke up to a familiar face, one that startled him. "Guinevere." he said, staring at the woman he had once loved, and banished.

"Hello, Arthur." she told him softly. He stood up and stared at her, as if unsure if she was really there. "I've missed you." she told him.

"And I you." he replied quietly. They suddenly heard screams.

"Pierce!" Ava yelled as she ran in the door, Lulu only two steps behind her.

"It's Agravaine! He's found us, and he's surrounding the village!" Lulu exclaimed. Pierce jumped to his feet, the others right behind him.

"Merlin, is there another way out of the valley?!" he asked the young man. He nodded.

"The tunnels through the mountains. I can take us there!" he told him.

"We leave! Now!" Pierce announced. Merlin barely had time to hug his mother goodbye as the entire group, now joined by Guinevere, raced out the back way of the village.

"There they are! After them!" they heard Agravaine yell.

"Isolde!" Tristan yelled, his wife unable to keep up with them.

"Just leave me." she told him calmly. He shook his head.

"We're always a team, remember?" he told her, scooping her up into his arms and running with the others.

"How much farther?!" Arthur yelled.

"At the base of the mountain! Go, I'll cover the back!" Merlin yelled. Arthur led the group inside, but Agravaine and his massive army were only minutes behind them.

As the last of the group ran inside, Merlin stepped forward and breathed deeply. He began to mutter an incantation and his eyes glowed orange. He then turned and ran inside.

Agravaine's army gasped as a great shadow fell over them. He looked up and gasped in utter shock as a massive dragon flew over them and let loose a barrage of lethal flame.

Only he and four of his men made it into the cave in time.

DEEPER IN THE CAVES…..

"What was that?" Tristan asked as they heard voices.

"Agravaine's entered the tunnel." Pierce said quietly.

"I'll draw them off. The exit is straight ahead, just follow the path." Merlin told them as he began to head back. Arthur stopped him.

"Merlin." he called out. Merlin turned around, and Arthur sighed. "Don't do anything stupid, alright?" he told him. Merlin smiled.

"Me?" he asked him, jogging back down the tunnel.

"I'll follow him. Don't wait for us." Pierce told the young king, and ran after the young man.

SOMEWHERE IN THE TUNNEL…

Agravaine and his men slowly walked through the tunnel, looking for any signs of life. It surprised them when Merlin appeared right in front of them. "Oh, hello!" he yelled. They immediately ran after him, and he scampered through the tunnels easily.

He misjudged his location though, and ended up at a dead end. He looked for any way out, but knew it was hopeless as he heard the swords draw behind him. "Merlin, where's Arthur?" Agravaine asked him calmly. He slowly turned around and looked at the traitor. "Tell me now, or I'll have to kill you." Agravaine told him.

Merlin calmly shook his head. "I don't think so." he replied.

"I don't, either." Pierce announced, appearing behind the men and blocking their exit. Agravaine sighed, and ran at Merlin in a last-ditch effort. Before Pierce could even react, Merlin raised his arms, and Agravaine flew through the air and crashed into a rock. With one last surprised gasp, he fell limp and moved no more.

With a few strikes, Pierce felled the remaining men and walked up to him. "You alright?" he asked. Merlin nodded sadly.

"Let's go." he said tiredly, leading the way back.

THE END OF THE TUNNEL….

"What was that?" Ava asked. Arthur turned around.

"Merlin." he said worriedly.

"He knows the way out, he'll find it." Tristan said.

"I'm going back." Arthur said firmly, immediately heading back down the tunnel. Tristan turned and stared in surprise.

"For a servant?" he questioned in disbelief. Gwen smiled.

"You're wrong about him." she told him, slowly walking to the exit.

Arthur didn't have to go far to find the two. "Merlin, you're alright!" he greeted. Merlin smiled.

"Were you worried about me?" he asked him in shock. Arthur sighed.

"Alright, I admit it. I was worried because you're the only friend I have and I couldn't bear to lose you." he told him seriously. Merlin smiled.

"Really?" he asked. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Don't be stupid." he told him as he turned and walked back. Pierce sighed in amusement as they followed him and met back up with the group.

"So where to now?" Arthur asked as they reached daylight and looked at the horizon. It was then that Pierce saw something. A silvery shadow close to the tree line. He silently walked toward it and away from the group, ignoring their protests and questions. He knew what he was seeing.

"Father?" he asked as he reached the spot where he had seen the shape. Silver smoke converged on a spot in front of him and took of the shape of Jack.

"_Son, I know you're busy, But I must remind you of what I showed you before. The world I showed you, you must go to it now. There is no time for delays. Gather your sister and Marek, and go there. The surviving members of the Rikkison lineage must all be together when you go. Son, you must go there now. Leave this mission to those who came with you." _Jack told him. Pierce sighed.

"If that's what you say I should do, Dad, then I will." he told him firmly. Jack smiled and nodded.

"_Remember, son, when you need me, I am always here." _he told him before fading away. Pierce sighed, and walked back up to the group.

"I'm afraid I have to leave you here. There's something I have to do now. I'll meet up with you later." he told them. Ava opened her mouth, but he answered her unspoken question. "I'll explain later, I promise." he assured her. She nodded, and without another word he leaped high into the air and back-flipped as he summoned his rider. Landing on it with such ease that would have made his father proud, he soared into the air, putting his hood up and activating his wrist communicator. "Rayne, Marek, meet me at the coordinates I'm sending you now. This is our top priority. Our father, your brother, Marek, made me promise that we would do this now and not later. Get there as soon as you can. I'll be waiting for you." he said. Without another word, he leaned forward and flew even faster, heading toward his destination.

**Alright, I was going to end the Camelot storyline this chapter, but that would have easily added another 3-4000 words, so I'll just do it in the next few chapters. I'm sure you will all be excited for next chapter! Don't forget to review.**


	26. Ch 26: Sins of the Father

**Hey, guys! I only have one exam left, which is tomorrow morning, so I figured you guys would like the next chapter. Even though I'm running on three hours of sleep, I owe it to you guys, so here goes. Shout outs:**

**Celeron96: Pretty much, yeah. Guess who gets a cameo, lol? And yes, I'm sorry but the epicness that is Jack is not a part of the game. Square Enix doesn't like money, lol. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Alright, thanks. I just followed the scene from the show. Me, too! And nope, Dagobah!**

**13TheAce: Yeah, I love them both! Oh, yes it will be, lol. **

**AngelicWinds: Yeah, I've been pretty busy, lol. **

**Centhian: Yep, lol! I always planned for Marek to come out and be the "anti-hero" so I never would have planned that. Besides, Lorans will make a much cooler villain when you all figure out the plot twist I have later in the story. That's fine, too.**

**Bezerker21: If I need one, I'll let you know, thank you. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, thanks. They'll be in one or two more chapters at most. Lol, yes but it will determine if that thing I told you about last night ever actually happens or not. **

**Alright, I own Lorans and the Rikkisons, and Soriah, I guess. Ava belongs to Angelic, Griffin belongs to Light, Lulu belongs to Celeron, and Shin belongs to Herald. Anyone else is property of Square Enix, Disney, or BBC.**

Chapter 26: Sins of the Father

It wasn't long before Pierce could feel his family's presence nearby. He smiled slightly as Rayne pulled up next to him on her rider, encased in her own shining grayish-blue armor. Marek appeared on his other side, his black cloak and hood surrounding his body. "So what is this place?" Pierce asked them.

"I'm not sure. It's not in any databases the LE ever procured." Rayne told him. Marek grunted.

"It is called Dagobah. We are in territory that does not belong to our universe. Let's hope our presence goes unnoticed." he told them warily. Pierce nodded, flying in closer to the murky-blue colored world.

DAGOBAH…

"Stay together! It's easy to get separated in this foliage!" Marek yelled. Despite his warnings, massive tree limbs and dense towering bushes pushed them apart in seconds.

"Pull back up, before we crash into the water!" Rayne yelled urgently. Pierce tried to pull up, but crashed into a tree. His rider spun from the impact, and sent its rider flying down into the foliage below.

"Pierce!" Marek yelled from the air. He flew in to where he last saw his nephew, but something massive shot out of the water toward him and bit down hard on the back half of his rider. Marek quickly whirled around, drawing a knife and driving it into the water creature's snout. The creature screamed in agony, but would not release the rider. Instead, it began to sink back into the water, Marek still astride it. "Crap!" he muttered, knowing there was nothing good waiting in that water.

He jumped out with all the strength his legs could muster and leaped across the pond, landing about twenty yards away on the edge of the shore.

Rayne desperately circled from the air, trying to see either of them, but could see nothing but dense plant life. "Pierce!" she screamed. No response came from down below.

GROUND, UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME LATER…

Pierce groaned as he slowly came to. He leaned up onto his elbows and clutched his head. He was lying in a tiny clearing that had obviously been made by his fall. He groaned more as he slowly stood up, feeling aches all over his lower body. "Marek! Rayne!" he called out. The only thing that answered him was the echo of his own voice. "I've gotta find them." he muttered to himself. As he turned to walk away, he heard a voice.

"Lost, are we?" it asked, followed by a quiet amused laugh. Pierce whirled around, his Keyblade appearing in his hand in the blink of an eye. Suspecting to find some sort of menacing creature, he was shocked to see a small green…..creature peacefully sitting on a rock behind him. The small green creature was wearing a brown tunic, with a small pale coat on over it.

"Who are you?" Pierce asked him at once. The creature smiled.

"Merely a watcher, am I now. Little do you know of the true things around you, young Rikkison." he replied. Pierce was slightly taken aback by the creature's comments.

"What are you talking about?" he asked him. The creature sighed as he slowly stood up off the rock and held out his hand. A small wooden cane flew into his hand from seemingly nowhere, and he slowly walked over to him.

"Know why you were called here, you do not. Seeking answers, you believe you are. Which is correct, to a point." he continued in his strange speech. Pierce shook his head slightly.

"So why was I called here, then?" he asked him, following the creature through the forest. The little green creature smiled.

"Some answers must be found yourself, if you are to obtain what your father wished of you, young Rikkison." he calmly replied.

"I'm confused." Pierce told him simply. The creature smiled.

"Be no more. Yoda, my name once was. Refer to me as such until our paths separate." he told him calmly. Pierce sighed.

"Alright, Yoda. Where are you taking me? I have to find my sister and uncle. They came here with me." he said. Yoda smiled.

"Worry not. Find you, they will. The bonds that tie you together, strong and firm, they are. A journey within the cave, each of you must walk. Begin before theirs, yours will." he told the teen calmly.

By now, they had reached the entrance to the cave that Pierce had seen in Jack's vision. The entrance was rather small, and was partially covered with overhanging leaves and branches. "What you seek, inside….you will find." Yoda told him, staring at the young man as he sat down on another rock.

"Will I be in danger within?" Pierce asked him.

"To yourself, perhaps. Nothing is at it seems within the Cave." he explained. Pierce nodded and looked back at the entrance. Taking several deep breaths, he steeled himself and stepped inside…..

CAVE, OUTER LAYER…

_Black fog swirled all around him. "What is this place?" Pierce muttered. The ground could not be seen because the fog was so thick, and it also prevented him from seeing more than ten feet in any direction. He looked to the side as he heard a baby start crying. A scene began to unfold before him._

_A woman held up a newborn baby boy. His brown hair was barely a few strands along his head, but his striking hazel eyes could be seen from a distance. "My son, Jack Rikkison." the woman whispered, hugging her baby boy gently. Pierce watched the scene silently, not understanding why he needed to see this. He realized when he saw Jason walk into the room. _

_Immediately, he lifted up the cloth from Jack' chest and grew pale. "What is it?" the woman asked him. Jason's face was grim as he turned to his wife._

"_He is the one. Either he is the one, or his son will be the one. Look at the mark." he told her, trying to sound calm. She looked closely at the mark, and cupped her hand on her mouth, before beginning to weep silently._

"_I don't understand….." Pierce whispered. None in the scene seemed able to see or hear him. Before he knew it, the scene began to change again…._

_This time, he saw no image of his father. Instead, he was standing in the middle of a broad barren plain with pillars scattered around. He looked down at himself, and saw that he was no longer wearing his own version of the Wanderer's attire. Instead, he was wearing a black long sleeve shirt, a black vest, normal green camo pants, and a black hood was over his head. This time, he was not watching Jack. He was him._

"_The time has come, my apprentice, to show your true prowess in battle!" exclaimed the man Pierce recognized as Xehanort._

"_Apprentice?" Pierce asked, but found that his voice was not his own. He heard his father's voice, but instead of the old tiredness he had always heard, Jack sounded full of youth and energy._

"_I am ready, master." Pierce found himself saying in Jack's voice. Xehanort smirked, summoning his Keyblade._

"_Then let us begin." he told him. Pierce summoned a pitch black Keyblade to his hand, and held it backhand._

"_Dad fought backhand?" Pierce asked himself as he felt his body rushing forward with quickness and ferocity toward the old man._

MEANWHILE…..

Marek groaned as he stumbled through the forest, cutting through the shrubbery with his Keyblade. He was growing in irritation because it seemed to him that the forest was only letting him travel in one direction. The plants above him were too dense to fly out, so he could only take the one path.

He sighed as he cut his way through a final set of vines and stumbled into the small clearing where a small green creature was sitting on a rock outside of a cave entrance. "Who are you?" Marek demanded, holding his blade out threateningly. The creature shook his head slightly and stood up, standing facing him.

"Threaten me, you wish to do?" he challenged. Marek sighed and lunged forward with a war cry. His blade sunk into the dirt as the creature disappeared. "Over here!" he said playfully as he appeared on Marek's shoulder.

"What the…..!" Marek exclaimed, throwing an elbow back to know him off, but the green creature scurried around his waste and flipped onto the ground.

"No harm do I bring to you. I thank you to not offer me any in return." he said calmly. Marek sighed, lowering his blade.

"Have you seen my nephew?" he asked. The creature nodded.

"Indeed. Entered the Cave, the boy has. Seeking answers, he will find within. You too, seeking answers, I sense. Waiting within, they are. Out of reach, they are not." he told him. Marek looked at the cave entrance warily, before looking back at the creature.

"Thanks." he told him calmly, stepping toward the cave.

"Be warned. As it seems on the surface, everything is not." the creature warned as Marek disappeared into the shadows.

MEANWHILE….

_Pierce could hardly believe the fierceness with which his father fought with. No sooner had he finished fighting the old man than the scene had changed again._

_This time, he was walking through Twilight Town, and approached a lone blonde boy sitting on a bench. "Hello. What's your name?" Jack asked the boy. The blonde looked up at him, his lower lip trembling, his eyes still red and wet from crying._

"_Ventus." he told him quietly. Jack sighed as he sat down next to him. Pierce could definitely see Ven in this child. _

"_Why are you out here all alone, Ventus?" he asked the boy. Ven sniffed and quickly rubbed his eyes to stop more tears from falling down his face._

"_I have no friends. No one likes me here." he told him sadly. Pierce could feel his father's emotion in this scene, because it mirrored his own._

"_That's something we have in common." he told the boy, smiling slightly. Ven looked at him for several seconds, before turning away._

"_I just wish there was a way to leave this place, to find a better life. I'm a nobody here." Ven told him, staring longingly into the sky. Pierce knew what his father was going to do before it even happened. Jack got down on one knee in front of Ven and summoned his Keyblade. He smiled as Ven's eyes widened in awe._

"_What is that…?" he asked slowly, staring at the blade. Jack smiled._

"_This is called a Keyblade. Only a select few are ever chosen to wield it, and to do so, you have to have a uniquely strong heart. I think that you qualify for that, Ven, and I'm prepared to give you the same chance that I was offered." he explained. He gently grabbed the blade, and held out the hilt to Ven. "In your hand, take this key. Then, if you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be. On that day, you will find me, and our bonds will strengthen each other through hardship and friendship." he told him softly. Ven was at first hesitant. But ever so slowly, he reached out his hand and touched the curved hilt of the blade._

_Jack smiled as Ven let go of the blade, and he stood up, dismissing it. "On the day that you can summon your own, we will meet again, Ven. And on that day, we shall recognize one another." he promised. Ven smiled at him, and Jack smiled back as he slowly turned and walked away._

_Pierce could feel his head start to spin as the scene twisted again. The scene this time changed to show a young woman with black hair standing on the top hill in Twilight Town. He, as Jack, walked up to her and kissed happily. "Mom?" Pierce guessed. Mist smiled as they broke apart, and their hands clutched each other's gently as Jack immediately turned and summoned his rider._

_The next scene that appeared, Pierce felt like a slightly older version of his father, and he was standing in what he recognized as the Keyblade Graveyard. Terra, Aqua, and Ven stood around him as Xehanort and a boy in a mask he didn't recognize appeared in the distance. Xehanort smiled as he held out his arm. "Behold, these lifeless Keys used to be full of power, united with the hearts of their masters. On this barren soil, Keyblades of light and darkness were locked in combat, as a great Keyblade War raged!" he told them passionately._

_Pierce then witnessed the epic battle that followed, and saw the horrors of the blank points in time that followed. It was no small feat to continue on when he felt the second journey his father had taken begin to take form. But urging himself onward, he prepared himself for the journey his father had walked during the Second Keyblade War._

MEANWHILE, ELSEWHERE IN THE CAVE…

_Marek warily held his Keyblade out as he waded through the fog. "What kind of darkness is this, that I have no familiarity of it?" he questioned softly. He looked around as the fog began to take form, and he softly gasped as a scene unfolded before him._

_Two boys were standing, facing each other on the beach of their home. One had long unkempt brown hair, and his hazel eyes stared at the other boy in confusion. The other boy had long white hair, slicked backward. His green eyes glared at his younger brother in anger and jealousy. He blinked slowly, and for the first time, his eyes glowed yellow. _

"_NO! I do not seek to torture myself with looking at my past! What devilry is making me see this again?!" he screamed, trying to hide the scene before him with his hand. His fear quickly turned back into anger as he saw something he had never seen before: standing far away from the two boys, out of sight, was Xehanort. He was smirking evilly, and one hand was held up, glowing with darkness. At the same time, a dark aura sprouted out of the white haired boy, and when Xehanort moved his hand forward, the boy charged to attack his brother. In that moment, Marek steeled himself._

"_Indeed, it's time to find the answers I have been looking for. Perhaps my unholy past has something to show me, after all." he muttered_ _to himself. _

**Alright, before I hear any complaints, yes I only showed a little bit of Wanderer's Chronicles, but bear in mind that I have Marek's part, Rayne's part, and then Pierce still has to go through Jack's journeys in IDoD and RTDoD. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you're looking forward to the rest of it next chapter!**


	27. Ch 27: Past and Future Errors

**Hey, guys! I'm home free for the summer! *parties* so I should be updating every day unless things come up. Alright, shout outs:**

**Lucenthia: I will admit I had trouble writing Yoda. He's harder than you'd think. While most of it will be flashbacks, there will be battles at the end, I promise.**

**Celeron96: Thanks, and everyone criticizes my Yoda, lol!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Lol, trust me it's not that bad of a rant. Herald and Twilight have gone on some pretty big rants before, lol. I Love both of you as friends, don't take offense to that, lol!**

**Gohan Roxas: Thanks! **

**13TheAce: There are quite a few big bombshells about Jack's life, don't you think? Lol, thanks! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: I'm pretty sure just about everyone knows who Yoda is, lol. They will, I promise. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Alrighty! She's had a bigger role in here than in RTDoD…..**

**Well, you know what everyone owns. If not, you're skipping chapters and you need to go back! So you guys get a little glimpse of the "final battle" today! I hope you enjoy it! **

Chapter 27: Past and Future Errors

_Marek waded through the fog as the vapor began to take shape around him. "What is there to learn from a tainted past that cannot be forgotten?" he said out loud, holding his Keyblade ready. The black and silver blade was entirely different from the one he had used for so long as Illusion. He had abandoned that blade long ago for the one he had now. The name of the blade of Illusion was Darkness' Embrace, and its twin was used by Jack during his time as Xehanort's vessel at the end of the Second Keyblade War._

_The weapon he carried now signified his own ties to the Rikkison name and his atonement for his past failures. The blade he carried now was called "Wanderer's Legacy." _

_He looked around him as a scene unfolded before him._

_The young white-haired boy he had previously seen was standing alone on the beach. He glanced over to where his mother was playing with another, slightly younger, brown haired boy. He glared enviously at the pair of them and his green eyes narrowed as he looked back at the water._

"_It is unlikely to find such a strong hearted individual on these islands. You have a taste for darkness, that much is apparent, my boy." said a voice. The boy turned quickly, staring at a hooded figure standing several feet behind him. His hands were crossed behind his back, and he was hunched over._

"_Who are you?" the boy demanded calmly. The man laughed quietly._

"_I am he who is destined to unite all the worlds under one rule, by forging the ultimate weapon. I see the desires of your heart, and I can give the power to take what you seek." he answered just as calmly. The boy stared at him for several seconds, sizing the man up._

"_How would you do that?" he asked him, not taking his eyes off of the hood covering the man's face. The man smiled._

"_Easy. I will merely open your heart to the strength it is trying so hard to grab ahold of. With this power, you can dispose of your infidel brother and finally have the attention you crave." he told him simply. The boy looked at the ground, thinking hard. That was when the hooded man flexed his wrist, and darkness began to appear all around the boy. _

_The boy began to groan and clenched his teeth in pain as dark electricity began to flow through his body. The darkness wasted no time in penetrating every part of his body and quickly taking over._

_Instantly, his feelings of love and compassion were suppressed to the point of nonexistence. His emotions of anger and jealousy were amplified until that was all he could think about. The hooded man smirked and cleared his throat. The boy slowly turned to him, any evidence of compassion gone. "Now you have what you need. Dispose of your brother and take your place at my side. Become my apprentice. Together, we will take over the worlds!" he declared. The boy slowly nodded at him. "Now, tell me your name." the man told him._

_The boy stared at him silently. "My name is Marek Rikkison." he told the man emptily. Xehanort smiled as he lowered his hood and stared at the boy. _

"_That was your name, my boy. From here, you will be known as the Illusion. Leave all traces of Marek behind, and let the darkness take you." he told him. Illusion slowly nodded and followed him through a dark portal._

_As soon as the portal vanished, the brown haired boy and his mother got up to leave. She looked over, and began to panic. "Marek?!" she called out as she ran up and down the shoreline._

_Marek himself sighed as he watched this scene. "Yes, I remember clearly. Xehanort tried to make me his slave. He got pretty fed up when I took control of the darkness, though." he muttered. _

_The scene shifted back to the first scene now. Both boys stood facing each other on the sand. Marek glared at his brother, his yellow eyes flashing dangerously. Jack sighed and shook his head._

"_Marek, what have I ever done to you? You're my brother, why would you want to hurt me?!" he cried out. Marek ignored him as he curled his fists with darkness. Jack sighed sadly as his brother came running at him._

_Marek leaped into the air, his fist raised and glowing with darkness. Jack held up his hand to cover his face, and instantly an overwhelming shockwave of light flew in all directions. Marek groaned as he flew backward and skidded across the sand. He glared up at Xehanort, who stared at him with no pity in his eyes. The boy swore to get even with the old man as his body began to fade. Unbeknownst to Jack, the darkness and remnant of his brother's heart found its way into a sanctuary where it could sustain itself, within Jack's own heart._

_Marek sighed and looked away. "What else is there to learn from this?!" he yelled in desperation, wanting to leave the cave._

"_I think you already know the answer to that." answered a voice. Marek gasped and raised his Keyblade as the black vapor rose up and formed a figure._

"_I should have guessed….." Marek muttered, shaking his head in calm disbelief. The figure before him wore pants black as night. The black sleeveless shirt covering his upper body was adorned with the red Heartless symbol, and the binding chains of darkness covered his chest and stomach. His white hair glistened in the pale moonlight and his yellows glared at his original person menacingly. "Illusion." Marek muttered calmly._

_Illusion smiled. "Indeed. How far you have fallen, Marek. You think that you can fight with the heroes and they will forget everything that we did together? Not a chance. You and I both know that you've fallen too far down into your hole to ever climb back out again." he told him. Marek shook his head._

"_I have plenty of my own crimes to answer to, Illusion. But I am not a part of you anymore. You died in the last Keyblade War. I'll admit, the problem wasn't completely you. I've never been the hero type. I was born into the wrong house and was given the wrong sign. But at least I am trying to make this right. You're not even a real person. You always were just something of Xehanort's making." he retorted. Illusion glared at him furiously, summoning his Keyblade of darkness and attempting to bring it down on top of Marek. The former lord of darkness, raised his blade to block it, and at the same time pulled out his dagger and impaled Illusion through the stomach._

"_You….." Illusion gasped in pain. Marek sighed._

"_I've outgrown my need for you, and you've outgrown your sense of reality. Even now, you're just a fake projection of a washed up monster." he told his former self as Illusion fell to his knees and turned back into black vapor._

_Marek turned and walked back as the fog dissipated. "I'm done here." he muttered._

CAVE ENTRANCE…..

"So you're saying that this cave will make me go through some sort of life-altering journey?" Rayne asked the green creature called Yoda. He chuckled quietly.

"Indeed. Open paths unseen before you, it will." he told her simply. She looked at him, looked at the cave, and nodded.

"Thanks for the advice. I'm going in." she announced.

_ELSEWHERE IN THE CAVE…__**(Here's to You, Metal Gear solid 4)**_

_Pierce was still in his father's body as he walked through Jack's second journey. Jack took on Sephiroth while in the ruins of Gaia in order to free Zack. Despite having no idea who Sephiroth was, Pierce could tell he was a very challenging opponent. He then saw Aqua's reaction to seeing Jack after twelve long years. He never did understand his father's need for running in exile for so long. _

_And it wasn't until Twilight Town that he finally revealed himself to the group and openly joined their fight._

_But through all of this, the point that time slowed down the most for Pierce was in the battle at the top of Xehanort's fortress._

_Kairi pressed her hand up against the magical barrier keeping her from helping Sora and Jack as they angrily fought against Xehanort. Terra-Xehanort easily blocked Sora's aerial strike and managed to grab Jack by the throat. "This fight is already over, pathetic lights." he muttered as he squeezed Jack's throat with all his might. Pierce felt the awkward sensation and waited to see what his father would do as Xehanort tossed him off the edge of the circular platform._

"_Jack!" he could hear Sora yell. Jack fell several stories before managing to utter a silent Cure, restoring his throat and energy. He impaled his Keyblade in the side of the pillar, stopping his descent and hanging there for a few seconds. _

_Jack breathed slowly and deeply, and a dark aura appeared around his shoulders. "If Xehanort wants darkness, then I'll give it to him! Xehanort, I'm coming for you!" he roared angrily as he drew his Keyblade out and began running up the side of the pillar at breakneck speed. _

_The scene shifted after that, and this time there was a massive group of people standing in the Keyblade Graveyard. Jack stood by Xehanort, his hair white and his eyes yellow, making him look almost identical to his brother. Xehanort smirked as his vessels charged against Sora and his lights. _

_Despite Jack's overwhelming power of darkness, he managed to free himself, and together they rescued Terra with help from Eraqus and the Lingering Will. Pierce could only watch in awe as his father and Terra took on Xehanort alone, who held all the powers of the X-blade in his grasp. _

_Against all odds, they managed to defeat him, but not without Jack sacrificing himself to try and stop Xehanort for good, but merely ending up with the old man trapped inside him. _

_For several minutes, Pierce saw nothing but flashes as Jack searched across the worlds for traces of Mist or Illusion. After many months of searching, the brothers crossed paths again, but Illusion came out on top, wounding Jack greatly and setting him adrift in the Lanes._

_And so began Jack's third journey. It was at this point and more specifically after Mist's rescue and the birth of Rayne that the change in Jack could be most identifiable. In so little time, he had gone from an ignorant apprentice of the darkness to the leader and hero of the Keybladers in the biggest war in history._

_Pierce had now learned exactly how his father had been connected to people like Kain, Cloud, and Zack, among others. The very last thing the cave had to show him was the tragic demise of the original Wanderer. _

_He could only watch as Lorans brought down each one of the heroes, except for Ven, who managed to escape with the timely arrival of Mickey. _

_By the time the scenes ended, Pierce was crying. "Father…." he whispered, now fully understanding everything his father had tried to teach him and why he had been the man and father he was._

He stepped out of the cave entrance to find Marek waiting for him. He smiled as he summoned his Keyblade, now holding it backhand like his father. He smiled slightly. "I've thought of a name for it: Hidden Resolve." he told his uncle. **(end Here's to You)**

_ELSEWHERE IN THE CAVE…_

"_What kind of place is this?!" Rayne muttered to himself. She slowly waded through the fog that went up to her knees and did not know what was going on. Suddenly, a scene appeared before her eyes._

_Before her was a twisted, barren landscape. Not one green thing remained, and the only thing she could see were dead bodies as far as the horizon stretched. The scene began to move, now showing the plain of bodies from a ruined castle top. Faded letters could be seen on the wall at the back of the platform, and although they were almost gone, Rayne knew them: Radiant Garden Sovereign Council/Restoration Committee HQ. __**(counterattack, Dissidia 012)**_

_She gasped as she realized that the empty landscape before was what remained of Radiant Garden. "What is this, the future?" she questioned. The scene she was watching shifted again, showing a small clearing at the foot of the ruined castle. There were eight skeletons scattered around the small area._

_One still had the remains of her once long green hair. One of her sickles still lay in her bony hand._

_One's great jewel encrusted broadsword lay to his side, stuck in the ground, and he was still holding hands with the girl next to him, who had died in her Esper form. _

_One was still trapped within his untainted blue and white armor, his lance broken in two at his feet. _

_Another still held onto his gold and black Keyblade, the blade backhand in his boned fist._

_The next one had the smallest frame in the group, and his Keyblade was halfway turned into some sort of animal when he had died._

_The last girl's pink hair was still attached to her head, and her pink Keyblade lay just out of reach as she stared at the sky, lifeless._

_The last had only died just recently, and most of his body remained. His eyes were shut peacefully, and his white hair was stained with blood and dirt. Rayne watched in horror as the hulking cloaked figure of Lorans pulled his Keyblade out of Marek's stomach with a loud squelching noise. He sighed sadly as he turned to the field, where something in the distance made the earth tremble chaotically._

"_Forgive me, Pierce, but this must be done. Only you are left, and once you are dealt with, there will no longer be a threat to any of us." Lorans muttered to himself as he stepped forward toward whatever loomed in the distance._

_TO BE CONTINUED…_**(end Counterattack)**

**Alright, be honest, you did NOT see that coming! This little teaser was, I hope, a little nerve-wracking, but just know that I'm not going to spoil anything about the end of the story. I'll let you figure out the rest of this scene. So one bit of news, that four of you this doesn't apply to(you know who you are): My new poll will determine what course of action I take after this and Dissidia are finished, so please go vote on it! And don't forget to review!**


	28. Ch 28: Morgana

**Hey, everyone. I can't believe how tired I've been the last couple days. Anyway, shout outs:**

**AngelicWinds: It never fails, lol.**

**13TheAce: Well good, lol! That will be explained more once Part 2 begins.**

**TheEighthLight: I'm not surprised…..**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Ha, well I'll take that as a compliment! And you just guessed what Part 3 and 4 are going to be about!**

**Lucenthia: Thanks! That's still a long ways, probably between chapters 55-60.**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, I wanted some sort of confrontation at the end for Marek, and that's what I came up with. It's just because he's more like Jack now, lol. All questions will be answered in Part 4…..**

**Celeron96: Lol, it will be different, don't worry. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Well, thank you! I tried my best for it!**

**So I own the Rikkisons, Lorans, and Soriah. AW owns Ava, TEL owns Griffin, Celeron owns Luriel, and Herald owns Shin. An average length chapter, so enjoy!**

Chapter 28: Morgana

"Ava, how are things down there? Marek, Rayne, and I are almost there." Pierce asked his wrist communicator.

"_We're still in the forest. Arthur's taking Tristan's talk about failing as a king pretty badly. Merlin's trying to keep him positive, but it doesn't seem to be working." _she told him. He sighed.

"Send me your coordinates. We'll be there in a few minutes." he told her, signing off.

"Time to go to work." Marek muttered, smirking his nephew's way. Pierce smiled back, nodding while Rayne shook her head in amusement.

FOREST OF ASCETIR, OUTSKIRTS OF CAMELOT…

It was very early in the morning as the three Rikkisons silently made their way through the forest. As they approached the little camp set up by Arthur's group, they found most of the fugitives still asleep. Ava quickly ran up and hugged Pierce tightly. "I'm glad you're back!" she told him in relief. They turned as Merlin walked up to them.

"We have to make Arthur prove himself in front of his people. That's the only way he'll believe in himself again." he told them.

"And how do we do that?" Lulu asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"I have an idea." Merlin told them, smiling widely.

SEVERAL MINUTES LATER…..

Arthur felt himself being shaken awake. "Arthur, wake up." Merlin said quietly.

"What do you want, Merlin?" he asked him sleepily, slightly opening his eyes.

"I've got something to show you, in the forest." he replied calmly, standing back up and walking away. Arthur sighed grumpily and slowly stood up to follow his servant.

"So what is this thing that you have to show me?" he asked as he followed Merlin through the forest.

"Something that will prove you were meant to be king, Arthur." Merlin told him, not slowing his pace.

"Really….." Arthur muttered, obviously not taking him seriously. Merlin nodded.

"When the first king of Camelot was on his deathbed, he had his servants carry him into the forest, and there they placed a sword in a stone. If his lineage was ever questioned, they would only have to have the chosen successor pull the blade out, and thus they would know for certain that he was the heir to the throne." he explained as they neared a clearing.

"I've never heard so much rubbish before in my life, Merlin." he told him sleepily. Merlin stopped and turned to him.

"So what's that, then?" he asked, gesturing behind him. Arthur looked, and sure enough, out in the middle of the clearing was a massive stone. Thrust into the middle of it was a long jewel-encrusted sword with a golden handle.

As soon as Arthur noticed this, hundreds of villagers and knights walked into the clearing, and at the front of the crowd were Sir Leon and Percival. Marek, Rayne, Lulu, and Griffin stood to the side, waiting expectantly along with Gwen.

Arthur turned back to Merlin. "What are you doing? That sword's stuck in solid stone. There's no way I'll be able to pull it out!" he whispered angrily. Merlin looked at him, not worried in the slightest.

"Arthur, you're the true king of Camelot. Believe in yourself, and pull it out." he told him calmly. Arthur stared at him, glanced at the blade, and looked back at him.

"You better be right about this." he whispered, unsure as he drew his sword and stuck it in the ground, before slowly walking toward the stone.

Ever so slowly, Arthur placed both hands on the hilt and tugged as hard as he could. "The sword will only loosen itself if you believe in yourself, Arthur." Merlin told him. Arthur sighed and let go, panting from the effort. He breathed deeply, and this time he only put one hand on the hilt.

Merlin watched, now fully sure that Arthur did believe in himself. As the young king moved to pull it out, Merlin's eyes glowed bright orange, and released the blade. Arthur drew it out and held up the blade. Leon stumbled forward in happiness. "Long live the King!" he yelled. The crowd quickly echoed the blonde haired knight's words.

LATER…

"We must move now if we're to take back the city. Morgana's men are spread thin searching for you, sire." Percival began. The Keybladers, Percival, Leon, Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, Tristan, and Isolde were all gathered in a circle.

"And what do you say about this?" Arthur asked the Keybladers.

"We'll need to move with stealth." Rayne spoke up.

"I can take a few in through my portal, maybe four or five including myself." Marek told them.

"Marek will go in first with Arthur, myself, Gwen, and Merlin. Rayne, I want you, Lulu, Griffin, and Ava to help whoever's on the outside. Make sure there are minimal casualties." Pierce told them. Arthur nodded.

"I like that plan. Let's get it done." he told them.

"We'd like to join you, if you'll have us." Isolde suddenly said. Arthur looked over, and she and Tristan nodded. He smiled in surprise, and nodded.

"Good to have you with us." he told them.

"I'll take Arthur and Pierce in first, then I'll come back for Gwen, Merlin, Tristan, and Isolde." Marek told them. They nodded, and a knight ran up to Leon and whispered something. The head knight nodded and looked at his king.

"Sire, the men are ready. We move at your command." he told Arthur, who nodded.

"We move out." he told them.

CAMELOT, CASTLE WALLS…

"This is our stop, kids." Marek told them, holding out his arm and summoning a dark portal.

"Are you sure this can be trusted?" Merlin asked uneasily, staring at the darkness. Marek nodded.

"There is no evil in the darkness, only in the hearts of men that abuse it." he told him simply.

"Let's go." Arthur told them, stepping inside first. Pierce quickly followed, and Marek went through last, closing it behind him. Leon positioned his knights around the walls and silently took down the sentries with crossbows.

THRONE ROOM….

"For the love of Camelot!" Arthur yelled as the three of them bashed into the guards and sent the doors flying open. Instead of the army they were expecting, only Morgana and a tall dark-skinned man stood waiting for them.

"Hello, brother." Morgana told him. Arthur shook his head.

"You're no sister of mine." he told her coldly. She smiled and turned to the man next to her.

"All yours, Helios. I'll deal with the fugitives." she told him. Helios smiled and drew his sword as he stepped toward Arthur.

She smiled evilly as an aura of darkness appeared around her. Marek shook his head as he disappeared through his portal, leaving Pierce to combat her alone. **(The Encounter, Birth by Sleep or KH2 version, doesn't matter)**

He summoned his Keyblade to his hand, now holding it backhand. "Like father, like son, I see." she said, smiling evilly as he got into a battle stance.

"At least I'm not cruel like you and yours!" he yelled as he ran at her. She frowned in anger and cast a wall of flame to separate them. Pierce leaped up and covered himself in an ice spell, leaping through and landing gracefully on the other side. He threw his Keyblade at her and rolled out of the way as she sent a bolt of lightning his way. The Keyblade knocked her hand away as she was preparing for another spell.

"You can't do anything but cast spells?" Pierce taunted, smiling arrogantly. Morgana smirked back.

"You'd be surprised, little boy!" she told him, a sword appearing in her hand. He ran at her and swung hard, but she blocked it at the last second. As they pushed against each other's blades, he saw her eyes flash red, and felt himself fly backward and smack into a wall. He slid down to the ground and took a minute to right himself. By the time he was back on his feet, she was in front of him, casting another spell. Her blade became coated in fire, and she raised it over her head to strike. As she brought it back down, he placed his hands on the ground and pushed up, kicking her in the face while flying past. He landed on his feet, but she went flying onto her back.

"Give up, grandma?" he asked her, holding his blade at her neck. She looked up.

"Not a chance." she told him coldly, holding up her hand. He back-flipped away as a pillar of fire raised up where he had just been standing.

He slowly walked back and forth on his side of the pillar, staring at her as she did the same. Suddenly, something hit her in the back and sent her flying onto her stomach. The pillar of fire disappeared, and Pierce shook his head in amusement as Marek lowered his Keyblade. "You alright?" he asked his nephew.

"You took your time!" Pierce told him. Marek shrugged his shoulders before quickly facing Morgana, who was back on her feet.

Helios pushed Arthur, who went sliding onto his back toward the door. Tristan, Isolde, Gwen, and Merlin came running in the door, ready to help. Helios glanced at his queen, but Morgana simply pushed everyone against the walls and ran out the door. "After her!" Arthur yelled at them. Pierce nodded and ran out with Gwen and Merlin right behind him.

Arthur, Tristan, Isolde, and Marek formed a circle as guards ran in to help Helios. "Today you die, Pendragon." he told Arthur, his eyes alive with anticipation. It was Marek who answered.

"Like you're gonna be the one to make it out of here alive, tubby. I don't think so, bub." he told him calmly. Arthur smiled, raising Excalibur.

"Now!" he yelled, charging forward to combat Helios. The other three busied themselves with the guards. Despite his best efforts, Arthur found himself on the floor, Helios standing over him raising his sword. He didn't expect for Isolde to appear behind him and run him through. Helios was surprised for a second, but whirled his sword around and impaled himself, sticking her through the stomach before falling to the ground.

Pierce, Gwen, and Merlin sprinted through the castle hallways after the fleeing Morgana, but she was already close to the exit. "This has only just begun, traitors!" she screamed furiously, her eyes flashing red. A second later, the roof of the hallway caved in over them, and Merlin just managed to get Gwen out in time. Pierce dove out and slid across the floor at the last second, barely escaping harm. **(end The Encounter)**

Arthur silently stood, watching as Tristan cradled his lifeless wife in his arms. "Isolde….." he muttered, crying nonstop, shaking her gently. Silently, the rest of the group gathered in the room, Pierce's group being at the front.

"Arthur….." Pierce began, but Arthur cut him off.

"I officially withdraw Camelot from the Treaty of Sovereigns. Lorans will no longer have support from us." he told them. Pierce smiled.

"Thank you for remembering my father in the true way he was." he told Arthur. The king smiled.

"Your father could always see the good in others, even when there was none. When we have won this conflict, they will all be remembered as heroes, I promise you that, Pierce. When you require our help in the coming fight, we will be ready to stand alongside you." he told the teen sincerely. Pierce nodded.

"So where to now?" he asked his group.

"Kain, Ven, Shin, and Terra are in Nottingham." Rayne told him. He nodded.

"Send Ven to me, but the rest of you go on. Send Kain to Baron and have him tell Cecil to withdraw." he told her.

"Where are you gonna go?" Griffin asked him curiously. He smiled, looking at Ava.

"I think it's time I went and had a long talk with Mickey." he told them.

"So Disney Castle, Nottingham, and then what?" Lulu asked. Pierce looked at her.

"Then, we go back to camp, and we train. Ven, Marek, and Rayne can teach us loads of Keyblade stuff, and we can all prepare for what lies ahead." he said, looking at Rayne in particular.

"What are you talking about?" Ava asked him, glancing at Rayne.

"We'll explain everything when the whole group is back at camp." he told her firmly.

**And so we are finished with Camelot! Dag-gum, that took a while, lol! Well, like Pierce said, Disney Castle, Nottingham, and then we take a break for the beginning of Part 2, which is at chapter 30! Don't forget to review, plus I have a new new poll up! Everyone go vote on that, cause it's a different one! See ya later!**


	29. Ch 29: The Traitor and the Mouse

**I'm just gonna go right on to the shout outs today, guys:**

**Gohan Roxas: Thanks!**

**13TheAce: Yeah, I thought it was dumb how they just ended the T and I story in Merlin. **

**Lucenthia: Really I just have a vague idea of what I'm gonna aim for in the plot when I begin the story and mostly make it up as I go. The funny thing is most of the time when you guys are in awe at this awesome plot twist, I had only thought of it like 5 chapters ago, lol. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Thanks! I'll return to Camelot if there's time, but I'm not making this story any longer than I've planned it.**

**Celeron96: Thanks! And yes, Merlin released the sword with magic. It probably is, but I'm not sure.**

**The Unknowing Herald: She's gonna wait until the whole group's assembled. Haha, I got that kind of vibe when reading about her. There will be more than one trip to Nottingham. **

**AngelicWinds: Just remember, as it stands right now, Lorans still has Xehanort, Braig, Mika, Vasey, Gisborne, and to some extent Mickey on his side, as well as all of the Council's influence. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Me too! I love Robin Hood, too. Each of the shows are the best renditions of the RH legend and the Arthurian tales.**

**Alright, so you know what everyone owns. This will be a longer chapter since I have to start Nottingham and give it a decent partial ending while fitting in Pierce's part. Alright, well enjoy!**

Chapter 29: The Traitor and the Mouse

It didn't take Marek, Ava, Griffin, Luriel, and Rayne very long to land in Nottingham and meet up with the rest of the group. "Any sign of Robin's gang?" Rayne asked them.

"None. All we know is that they're stationed in the forest." Shin told her.

"And this poisonous sheriff haunts all of the ways out of the city. Gisborne and his new lackey patrol the main streets regularly." Kain put in. Rayne nodded and walked over to Terra, who handed over Soriah, who was awake and not wanting to be quiet.

"So how do we get out of the city?" Lulu asked. The group sighed.

"Why don't we just storm one of the gates? It's not like these guards are a match for us." Ava suggested. Marek shook his head.

"But if we draw them into the forest trying to find Robin, then we could inadvertently give away their location." he told her calmly. Just then, Gisborne rode by on a tall white horse, looking around, fully alert. A slightly younger man rode behind him wearing an outfit made of black cotton.

"Someone must have told them we were here." Rayne whispered as the group did its best to fade back into the crowd.

Gisborne rode by calmly without looking their way. That is, until Soriah decided to start crying for no apparent reason.

"Damn…." Lulu muttered angrily. Gisborne slowed his horse to a stop and looked in their direction. The man behind him stopped, too.

"What is it, Guy?" he asked. Gisborne raised his hand and got down off of his horse.

"Allan, they're here." he whispered calmly, drawing his sword. Allan nodded and got off his horse, doing the same thing.

"When they get close, we bolt. Head for the gate and run for the forest." Marek told them as they readied to summon their Keyblades. Lulu, Shin, and Kain brought theirs out.

Gisborne and Allan slowly walked in their direction, until they got within a foot of the crowd the group was hiding in.

"NOW!" Kain yelled. They summoned their Keyblades as the crowd scattered. Marek ran up and punched Gisborne in the face as Ava sprinted up and aimed a kick between Allan's legs.

Allan merely squealed in pain and fell onto his back, clutching said place. Gisborne whirled around, swinging his sword. He cursed under his breath as he saw Griffin, Luriel, Shin, Terra, and Rayne already outside the gates, the guards lying on the ground knocked out.

"After them!" he roared. A dozen guards appeared around the corner as he got on his horse. Allan mounted his own, gingerly, and rode next to Gisborne as they followed the fleeing fugitives into the forest.

"Where to now?!" Shin yelled as they ran through the trees.

"Robin, it'd be a good time to show yourself now….." Rayne muttered.

"Get down!" yelled a voice. The group dove to the ground as a storm of arrows came shooting past them.

Gisborne and his men rode right into the middle of them, but Gisborne and Allan made it unscathed. "Get out of our forest, Gisborne!" yelled the voice.

"Your day is coming, Hood! Lorans will see you destroyed himself for aiding these fugitives!" Gisborne yelled back angrily.

"The day will come when Lorans will answer for his crimes! My men and I will be waiting to see you, the sheriff, and Prince John made to answer for your sins!" the voice that they now knew to be Robin's yelled as Gisborne and Allan rode back the way they had come.

DISNEY CASTLE…..

"So how did you get in?" Pierce asked Ven as they hurried through narrow corridors in the gummi hangar.

"There's a small passage behind one of these stones….." Ven replied as they stopped in front of a massive stone wall with countless stones embedded in it.

"Well that narrows it down….." Pierce muttered in irritation. Ven smiled slightly as he reached up and hit a random one. Pierce stepped back in awe, expecting something to happen…but nothing did.

"You must be going senile in your old age, uncle Ven." he told the older man in mild amusement. As Ven thought of a comeback, Pierce punched another random stone, and it just so happened that this one slid into the wall and made it swing open as if it was on a hinge.

"Not a word." Ven told him, pointing his finger at the teen. Pierce held up his hands and smiled. Ven sighed and led the way in.

DISNEY CASTLE, THRONE ROOM….

"Fancy meeting you here, your majesty." Pierce announced as he and Ven calmly walked in. Mickey sat alone on his throne, but Donald and Goofy stood on either side of him.

"Pierce Rikkison….." Mickey greeted, neither afraid nor threatening.

"I've come to know why you've sided with Lorans when he killed my parents and everyone else you considered friends." Pierce told him bluntly. Mickey sighed and looked at the floor.

"Because if I don't, then my kingdom isn't safe. Cloud stood up to him, and now Xehanort's in charge of Gaia. That world is on its way to the darkness now. No one can stand before him, Pierce. Trust me, if your father and Sora didn't stand a chance, then there is none for us." he told him sadly.

"But that's where you're wrong." Ven told him calmly. Mickey looked up and stared at them expectantly.

"We have Marek with us, and he knows Lorans' weakness. We can still win this fight. If we can take down his allies or turn them against him, then we could stand a chance by taking him on when he's alone. Arthur and Cecil have already withdrawn from the Council. If you join our fight and do the same, then the only ones we have to take out are Mika, Vasey, and Xehanort." Pierce explained. Mickey nodded slightly, before looking away.

"I can't help, I'm sorry." he told them sadly, staring at the ground.

"Your majesty….." Donald began.

"Please, my friend, be silent." Mickey told him.

"But Mickey…" Goofy began.

"No!" Mickey told them angrily. Pierce sighed and stepped forward. Mickey tensed as if he anticipated an attack, but instead Pierce walked up and kneeled before him, lowering his head to make his neck vulnerable.

"If you won't help us, then you might as well kill us since you condemn us to death when we go against Lorans." he told Mickey calmly, keeping his neck exposed. But Mickey made no move to strike him. He sighed sadly, and stood up.

"Should my kingdom fall to the darkness, I would rather die defending it then living in the next world as a coward." he decided, Pierce's determination impressing him. Pierce smiled and stood up.

"Do this in memory of my father, and all of the others who you fought alongside all those years ago." he said, holding out his hand to Mickey. The mouse king smiled and shook it.

"We'll deal with the spies in my kingdom. Get out of here and meet up with your group as soon as possible. When you need us, just call on us." he told the teen. Pierce nodded.

"We will." he promised, turning to Ven and walking out side by side.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, SHERWOOD FOREST…

"Thanks for the save." Rayne said to the empty woods around them.

"You're later than I expected." said a younger man with brown hair as he appeared out of almost nowhere. He looked to be in his mid-twenties. He was wearing a green jacket with a long hood and brown trousers. "Come meet the gang." he waved them in. Four people came walking out from behind trees. The first was wearing an odd assortment of different types of clothes, and had some sort of bandana on top of his head.

"I'm Much." he greeted, walking up and standing next to Robin. The next was a younger man, being around twenty years old. He had black hair, and wore orange and white clothes. He had an axe on his back and a hatchet on his belt.

"Will Scarlett." he introduced. The next was a tall broad man. His black hair and beard covered much of his face. He wore a long brown coat and carried a long wooden staff.

"John." he said simply. Robin smiled.

"_Little _John." he emphasized. Little John sighed and rolled his eyes. The last was a Saracen(Middle-Eastern) woman.

"I'm Djaq." she told them. Robin sighed.

"Well let's get back to camp. No point in sitting in the forest any longer, eh?" he told them, turning and walking back the way they'd come.

No sooner had they almost made it to the camp when they heard a horse galloping. "ROBIN!" yelled Allan's voice desperately.

"I'll kill him!" John growled furiously.

"No, John. We'll go see what's going on." Robin said firmly.

"So what's the problem with this Allan guy?" Rayne asked Djaq as they jogged through the forest toward the sound.

"He used to be one of us. Gisborne tortured him and coerced him into betraying us, and when Robin found out, he threw him out of the gang." the Saracen explained. Rayne nodded slowly as they came into a clearing where Allan was waiting with a group of horses.

"Robin, please hear me out." he said desperately. Robin crossed his arms and nodded. "I've been an idiot, I'm sorry. But the sheriff and Gisborne have Marian and they're going to the Holy Land to kill King Richard." he told them urgently. The look on Robin's face changed at once.

"What do we do?" Will asked.

"What _can_ we do?!" Much burst out, not knowing what to do. Allan shrugged his shoulders.

"I didn't bring enough horses for all of you." he told them, mostly the Keybladers' group.

"We can keep up, trust me." Ava told him. Robin nodded.

"Right, everyone get ready to head out. We've got to get to the Holy Land. Save Marian, save the king, save England." he told them, mounting his horse and kicking it into gear.

Robin's gang followed suit while the Keybladers summoned their riders. Lulu jumped on with Rayne while Kain stood on the back of Marek's. Shin shared with Griffin, and Terra shared with Ava.

"_We're almost there." _Pierce said through the wrist communicator. Marek sighed.

"I'll send you our coordinates. We're leaving Nottingham behind to go after Vasey and Gisborne. They've kidnapped someone named Marian and they're going to kill Robin's king." he explained. He could hear Pierce sigh through the transmission.

"_Alright, we'll get there as soon as we can." _he told him, ending the communication.

END OF PART 1...

**Yeah, coulda been longer, but I'm lazy, sue me. Herald, sorry but you'll have to wait til next chapter.**


	30. Pt 2 intro: Ch 30: The Holy Land

**What's up, everyone? My summer vacation's going pretty good so far. Anyone still in school? Alright, here's the shout outs: **

**The Unknowing Herald: I hope I do it justice. It's Mickey, I wasn't going to change his character, lol. Yep!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: I love the show, thank you! And it's Mickey, lol. **

**13TheAce: Thanks! PJ will actually not be seen. I haven't decided if there will be a second trip to Nottingham yet, but if I do then that's when you'll see him. For the next few chapters I'm going to focusing on character development, so if you had waited a few more chapters you wouldn't have had to ask, haha!**

**Lucenthia: Well thanks. It's only an hour's worth of typing, actually. When you add the proofread and everything else, it only takes me about 90 minutes to get a new chapter up. I'll do my best, lol!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Not so much a coward, he was just worried about his people. **

**Gohan Roxas: I know some people read the reviews so I'm not gonna answer outright, but if I do a second trip to Nottingham then Season 3 will start off the exact same way, except Djaq and Will would stay with the group. The show went downhill after they left. **

**AngelicWinds: I couldn't agree more, haha! Well he's not anymore!**

**Celeron96: Because he and Allan knew they were there and they knew Soriah would be with them, so they pretty much knew. Yeah, that really was the last good part of the show. You'll just have to read. Thanks!**

**Alright, you know what everyone owns. Here is the opening chapter of NPNW: Part 2!**

Part 2 Intro: Chapter 30: The Holy Land

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL CHAMBER….

Lorans angrily walked through the hallways, his white cloak furling behind him. Taking great care to make sure his hood covered all of his face but his mouth and chin like always, he walked into the room and quickly walked up the steps toward his throne. He became doubly angered when he saw only Mika and Xehanort in the room. Braig stood by the door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Why are there only two of you here when I called a meeting?!" Lorans thundered dangerously. Mika and Xehanort both stared at him, completely calm.

"All simultaneously, Mickey, Cecil, and the newly restored Arthur have all withdrawn their kingdoms from the Treaty of Sovereigns. We and Vasey are all that remain." Mika explained. Lorans curled his fist and punched the wall behind him, leaving a massive dent. He whirled around back to his remaining colleagues, the flickering light in the room glistening off of his gold and white armor.

"Then war shall begin. Where is that pitiful sheriff?!" he said.

"He's in his home world, trying to take out his own sovereign ruler in order to get even more powerful." Braig spoke up. Lorans' frown deepened.

"So all of this time, he has not been the true sovereign of his realm?! How has he kept that hidden from me?!" he roared. Xehanort smiled slightly.

"Do not fret. The traitors and the fugitives pose little threat to our plans. Indeed I am most curious as to whether my assumption of your true identity is correct." he said calmly. Mika and Braig both looked up at him.

"Indeed. Why do you always have your face hidden, Lorans?" Mika asked him. Lorans stared at them silently for several long moments. Eventually, his mouth curved into a smile and he began to laugh darkly.

"You wish to know who I really am? Then it would help to know why I am really here." he told them as he slowly reached up and pulled his hood back, lowering to finally fully reveal his face.

Braig's eyes went wide in shock. "No…." he muttered in disbelief. Xehanort smirked.

"I was correct, after all." he said simply. Mika narrowed his eyes.

"How is this possible?" he asked. Lorans smiled, his deep blue eyes staring at those standing in front of him.

"Perhaps it is time for me to reveal my purpose and intentions here." he told them, stepping back and sitting down on his throne.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, THE HOLY LAND….

"Be careful. Those are Saracen patrols. This city belongs to my people again." Djaq warned them. Indeed, a group of sixteen wasn't very stealthy as they tried to move through the streets.

"The king must have moved on. He's not in Acre anymore." Much told Robin, who nodded.

"Robin, we go, now!" Little John whispered, nodding his head to the side, where a group of Saracen guards were walking near them. Robin nodded and Djaq led them through the streets. Pierce and Ven had caught up with the group right outside the city, and they were now looking for King Richard's camp.

HOUSE, LESS THAN A MILE FROM ROBIN'S GROUP….

Vasey smiled as Gisborne opened the door and two Saracen men stepped inside. "So what is the plan, sheriff?" the first man asked. Vasey smirked evilly as Gisborne handed the man a letter.

"You are now Saladin's messenger. You will go to King Richard's camp, and you will give him a message. Dear Robin thinks he's going to come and save the king with all those little fugitives with him, but we're going to turn the king against them!" he told them, throwing his arms up in happiness.

"Are you sure you wish to do this?" the man asked him. Gisborne laughed quietly as Vasey sighed.

"It will be a shame to get back home and realize that Robin is dead….." he began. The two men looked at him in shock, but he smirked. "A clue…no." he whispered.

KING RICHARD'S CAMP…..

"Everyone keep your weapons steady. Pierce, I'll take you and two of your group in with me and Much. The rest will wait for us outside." Robin told them as they walked into the camp. Robin and Much were obviously known, because no one questioned them.

"Robin!" yelled a voice. Robin looked over to see a blonde haired man in a white Crusader outfit running to him.

"Carter?!" Robin said in surprise as they embraced. The man called Carter smiled as he nodded to the rest of the group.

"I thought you'd given up fighting." Allan said. Carter smiled and shook his head.

"I fight to protect the king now. I'm the head of his private guard, your old position, Robin." he explained, turning to said man. Robin nodded.

"We need to speak to the king. It's about the black knights and Prince John." he told Carter. The man nodded and motioned them to follow him. Pierce looked back at his group and motioned for Kain and Rayne to come with him. He didn't want hotheads or anyone linked to past acts to come with him, such as Shin, Ven, and Marek. Robin and Much followed right behind Carter with the other three not far behind.

MEANWHILE…..

"So what is this message you've brought from Saladin?" the tall man with the crown on his head asked the Saracen men before him.

"He brings you the gift of live, King Richard. The black knights are sending a man to kill you. He is your most trusted servant. He will demand that you let him protect you, and he also travels with a Saracen woman and the group of fugitives that are the last remnant of the Keyblade wielders." he told the king simply. Richard took this message with emotion and his men led the Saracen messenger out.

No sooner had he been led out than Carter walked in. "Sire, we have visitors." he announced. Richard's face fell as Robin walked into his tent.

"Your majesty." he said, kneeling. Much, Pierce, Rayne, and Kain quickly did the same.

"Robin, I should bow before you, friend." Richard told him with a slight smile.

"We come to tell you that the black knights are no longer waiting for you to come home. They are coming here to kill you." he explained. Richard raised his eyebrows.

"Really…..?" he muttered.

"You have to let me protect you." were Robin's next words. With those words, the king looked out and at that moment saw Djaq walking within sight. He then looked over at Pierce, Rayne, and Kain.

"And who are you?" he said rather rudely. Robin was taken aback by the king's tone.

"Pierce Rikkison, sire. We've come to help stop…" Pierce began, but the king cut him off.

"Of all people, they would send you, Robin…" Richard said. Robin looked at him questioningly.

"Your majesty?" he asked.

"Arrest them." were the king's next words.

"What?!" Much burst out. The group turned and saw the others being rounded up as well. Carter watched silently, but his distaste could be seen on his face. He knew the king had been fooled, but he could not speak out.

THE DESERT…

Each of the group members were tied in between two wooden poles stuck in the ground. Robin, Pierce, Marek, and Djaq were in the front, and the others were scattered around behind them. "I won't remember you as a traitor, Robin. I'll remember you as you were before I sent you home." Richard said sadly, standing in front of Robin, who was tied.

"And I'll remember you as the king who spent too long at war. It's clouded your judgment." Robin told him calmly. Richard sighed.

"Goodbye, Robin." he told him, and with that he turned and got back on his horse, where Carter was waiting. The two silently rode out of sight.

They weren't there long when they heard war cries. "What's going on?" Will asked.

Rayne sighed and looked down, where Soriah was tucked into his little pouch. They had even left the baby to die. "Something's happening." she mumbled.

"Marek, what can you see?" Pierce asked. Marek blinked, and his green eyes turned yellow. He stared hard in the direction of where the noise was coming from.

"It's the king and Carter. They're under attack." he told them.

"We need to get out of these quick." Ava muttered.

"Can't one of you summon your dumb Key thingys?" Luriel gasped. Pierce tried to flex his hand and summon it, but his hands were so tightly bound that he couldn't.

"I can't. Can anyone else?" he asked. He heard a chorus of no's and sighed.

"Terra, are you okay?" Shin suddenly said. The group craned their necks(what little they could) to look at her. Her hands and legs were bound too, but she was starting to groan in pain.

"Terra, everything's okay. Just stay calm, and breathe." Shin told her slowly, but Terra just began to scream harder.

"Shin!" she muttered through her screams. He looked at them.

"We need to get out of these. Now." he told them.

NOT TOO FAR AWAY…

Carter had his sword drawn and was off his horse. King Richard was on his own horse just behind him. "They're here somewhere, sire. Just sit tight until they show themselves. I'll do what I can to get you out of here." he told his king. Richard nodded, his own sword in his hand.

THE DESERT…..

"Someone's coming, Robin!" Will suddenly said. The group(minus Terra and Shin) looked out in front of them, where a woman on a white horse was slowly coming toward them.

"That's Marian!" Much exclaimed in shock. Suddenly, a short bald man appeared on a horse behind her and they quickly approached.

"Victory is sweet, eh Hood?" he said happily, getting off his horse and pulling the black haired woman known as Marian off of hers. He wasted no time in tying her to Robin's back, making them stuck there together. "You didn't think I was going to let you get away with trying to kill me, did you?" he asked her, smiling evilly.

"You won't get away with this, sheriff." she told him coldly. He smiled.

"Gizzy wanted you to go back home and marry him, but this is much more sweet." he told them. At that point, Terra's screams became very evident, and he looked around in surprise as she broke free of her restraints and transformed into her feral state.

"I'd run, Vasey." Pierce told him calmly. The sheriff took one look at her and went running for his horse.

As he rode away, she began to give chase, but she heard Shin's voice. "Terra, he's gone. Don't let this control you. You need to accept this part of yourself and reach out. Take control of it and don't be afraid of it any longer. Use it to help others." he told her calmly. The sound of his voice soothed her, and very slowly a change became evident in her. She floated down to the ground and slowly walked up toward Shin.

He smiled calmly as she gently touched his face with her clawed hand. It didn't hurt him, though. Her touch was soft and gently. She reached up and cut his ropes easily, and together they cut the rest of the group free. Terra remained in her feral state, but dug up all of their weapons where they had been buried in the sand, handing Luriel, Kain, Shin, and Robin's gang back their weapons. "Right, now we need to save the king." Robin said.

"Where to?" Pierce asked him.

ABANDONED TOWN, SOUTH OF ACRE….

It didn't take long for the group to arrive where the king was, but they were slower because they had to cram so many people on Keyblade riders, now with Marian having joined the group.

Carter waved to them from across the courtyard, when suddenly several dozen Immortals appeared out of nowhere. "Vasey's here somewhere." Ven muttered. Pierce nodded. **(Rescue, Robin Hood BBC)**

"Kain, Ven, Marek, you three head down that side street there. Take out as many Immortals as you can." Pierce told them. The three men nodded and began to run the way he had pointed. Robin turned to Allan, Djaq, and Will.

"Go with them." he told them. Pierce looked at the others.

"Ava, Lulu, and Griffin, you three get on the rooftops and keep an eye out for any of Vasey's men." he told them. He then looked at who remained, namely Rayne, Shin, and Terra. "Rayne, Shin, and Terra, clear the courtyard." he told them simply. They nodded, and Pierce, Robin, Much, and John set off toward Carter to help find Vasey, Gisborne and the king.

"Robin, get down!" Little John yelled, tackling him to the ground as an arrow shot past him. Robin nodded in thanks and stood up.

"Find the king!" he yelled to them.

Vasey stepped out of a doorway, only to be seen by Carter, who came running after him. He ran back inside and hid right by the doorway. As Carter stepped through, he impaled the young man through the stomach. "Bye-bye, blondie…." Vasey muttered as he pulled his sword out and ran down the street. Carter fell to the ground with a thud, dead.

King Richard rode through the streets, looking for a way out, but he didn't see Vasey step out behind him with a bow. "Long live the king!" he yelled in mockery as he let the arrow fly. The arrow sunk into Richard's shoulder blade, and he let out an echoing cry. **(end Rescue)**

As everyone mobilized to try and find him, his horse led him out into the courtyard, which was empty now, and he fell to the ground, clutching the arrow embedded in his back. He heard a sword being drawn, and realized Gisborne was coming up behind him. "Guy, no!" yelled a voice. Marian gasped as she came running into the courtyard and quickly got between the king and Gisborne.

"Get out of the way, Marian." he told her coldly, walking toward the king. She laughed quietly.

"All this time, I've been fighting for England. You think I'm going to let you kill England?!" she told him.

"Get out of the way!" he roared, swinging his sword.

"If you spare him, we can go back home, and be together." she told him. He shook his head.

"No, I will do this deed, and then I will have power beyond measure. Marian, we will be together." he told her. She laughed.

"I would rather die than be with you, Guy of Gisborne. I'm going to marry Robin Hood." she told him, smiling in happiness at what she was saying. Gisborne looked at her in shock.

"No….." he whispered. She smiled.

"I love Robin Hood." she told him. He roared and impaled her with his sword suddenly. She gasped in shock, and he looked down in complete shock at what he had just done.

"Marian…?" he gasped as she fell to the ground. At that second, Robin and the others came around the corner.

"MARIAN!" Robin roared, sprinting to her side. As the group formed around them, he sat at her side. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Djaq ran to the king and pulled out the arrow. Gisborne stood there in shock, crying from what he had just done.

"Gisborne…..!" Vasey's voice echoed through the courtyard. Gisborne turned and ran to the horse Vasey was getting on. "It's not over, Hood….! I will have England…!" his voice echoed as they rode away. Robin heard nothing but Marian's cries of agony and looked at the sword through her stomach.

Everyone stood behind them, giving them whatever privacy they could. **(From the Rich to the Poor, Robin Hood series 1 soundtrack)**

"Am I beyond even Djaq's amazing talent?" Marian asked them. Robin began crying in response. She sighed.

"Well do it then." she told him.

"What?" he asked her in question. She rolled her eyes.

"Marry me." she told him. He smiled as King Richard handed him a ring.

"I, Robin, take you, Marian, to be my wife. To have and to hold, to cherish….." he began. After he finished, she echoed his words and began to cry.

"I hope we have more time in heaven, because we didn't have enough time on earth." she told him. He nodded.

"I know." he told her. She looked at him firmly.

"You keep fighting. Keep fighting for me. England needs you, Robin Hood." she told him. He nodded.

"I will." he promised. She smiled.

"You may kiss the bride." she told him. He smiled and leaned down. They kissed for a long moment, before breaking apart. Marian smiled at him as she pulled the sword out. She cried in excruciating pain, and Djaq couldn't find the strength to say that that action would kill her almost instantly. "That's better…" Marian said, staring at Robin with loving eyes until a few seconds later when she stopped breathing.

LATER…

The group including King Richard stood in a circle around the two fresh graves. One had a white and red shield on it, belonging to their friend Carter. The other belonged to Robin's wife, Marian. "Her, we liked." Little John said, trying not to cry.

"Her we loved." Robin said stone facedly.

"So where will you go from here?" Richard asked Pierce as they began to walk out of the village, Robin and his gang being completely silent in mourning.

"Vasey's still on the Council. We'll have to deal with him at some point, but for now, we'll head back to our own camp and train. If we're gonna go up against Lorans, we'll need to get stronger than we are." Pierce explained to him. They got to a crossroads of sort in the desert at this point.

"This is as far as I go. You are my emissaries in England. You are King Richard." Richard told Robin and his men. Robin smiled and shook his head as Little John spoke up.

"No, we are Robin Hood. Say it!" he yelled.

"We are Robin Hood!" the little gang all echoed. Robin smiled as he gave the king one last glance.

"C'mon lads, let's go home." he told his gang. They nodded and began to walk away, as did the king in a separate direction. He turned to Pierce.

"I'm sorry about Marian. She seemed like a wonderful woman." he told him. Robin nodded.

"She was. Whenever you need us…" he began. Pierce nodded.

"Thank you." he told him. With that, Robin turned and jogged to catch up with his gang.

"He's taking her death pretty well." Luriel observed. Pierce shook his head.

"They've got a long trip ahead of them. It won't fully hit him until he gets home and knows she's not there." he explained. Rayne smiled.

"Well, we have to fly back to Nottingham to get the ship. We've got a long flight ahead of us." she said. Pierce nodded.

"And then back to camp to train." he said.

**I had to cram all of this into one chapter, I'm sorry. I'm running behind on my material as it is and I want to spend at least three or four chapters on character development. Well, I know Marian didn't get hardly any screen time and that wasn't done on purpose. I did think about changing that part of the script, but I decided not to just in case I do another trip there and want to go through Season 3. Well, I dare say I've earned that review considering how much I typed out tonight. **


	31. Ch 31: Group Meeting

**Heya! I hope you're all doing alright! Summer's proving very busy for me unfortunately. I actually feel like I have less time to update than before! It's crazy! Shout outs:**

**13TheAce: We may never know. It's Xehanort, do you expect to understand anything that old coot does? Haha. **

**Celeron96: Well, all I'll say is one of them is right. Thanks!**

**Lucenthia: It's a really cool show! I knew it was going to be like that, and I knew I should have tried to fit her in back in Nottingham, but I couldn't see how. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Yeah, but it's Xehanort. Well, I trust you'll like this chapter. Whenever you find time, it's definitely worth it!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Ha, yeah you won't find that out for another 20 or more chapters!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Yeah, well consider: Freya was in, if I remember correctly, ONE episode before she died. Marian and Robin grew close over 2 WHOLE SEASONS. Imagine the difference. **

**AngelicWinds: Well she had to do whatever she could to protect the king! And yep, Part 2 of 4. **

**Alright, I'll do a full role call since the entire party will have a good bit of screen time this chapter: I own the masterpieces that are known as the Rikkisons, namely Pierce, Rayne, Marek, and any mentions of Jack, Mist, and Jason. I also own Lorans, the awesome yet hated villain, and Soriah, the baby of Sora and Kairi. **

**Ava Haburke is the property of the amazing AngelicWinds.**

**Griffin is the property of the anticipated reader TheEighthLight.**

**Shin is the property of the awesome The Unknowing Herald.**

**Luriel is the property of the awesomely amazing Celeron96(sorry I ran out of words, lol!)**

**Kain Highwind is the property of Square Enix and Final Fantasy IV.**

**Ventus is the property of Square Enix and Kingdom Hearts. **

**Terra Branford is the property of Square Enix and Final Fantasy VI. **

**Did I forget anyone? I don't think so! Alright, now on to what you came for! I know you didn't just come to hear me talk! Read on, my friends!**

Chapter 31: Group Meeting

It was with both heavy and happy hearts that the group landed in their camp in the ruins of the Land of Departure. The success of turning both Arthur and Mickey away from the Council was the good news. The bad news was when they tried to confront Vasey with Robin Hood at their side, the young outlaw's love Marian was killed by Gisborne.

"So what do you have planned now, Pierce?" Ava asked as they all walked out of the ship and headed for their little ring of sleeping bags. They hadn't tried the tents out since they were mainly staying in an area with stone floors.

"First, we have a group meeting to discuss what Rayne saw down in the Cave. Then we start training, hard." he told her.

"When everyone has a moment, meet by the courtyard!" Rayne told the others. Some, like Kain and Ven, walked down immediately. Pierce looked over and rolled his eyes. Lulu was crouched down on top of a hanging pillar, about half a dozen feet above where Griffin was standing. She had a long stick, and she was very gently poking his hair with it.

Griffin reached up and smoothed his hair, thinking there had been some sort of insect or something touch it. It wasn't until three times later that he looked up to see Lulu wave and wink at him. He shook his head and sighed as he walked away.

She dropped down to the ground and started walking down with everyone else, but Pierce gently grabbed her arm as she walked past. "Do you really think this is a good time for pranks?" he asked her. Ava was still standing next to him, and she couldn't help but eye the green haired girl warily. Lulu sighed and looked at him.

"Can you think of a better time? What better way is there to cheer people up than with a few light-hearted jokes?" she replied. He shook his head.

"You've got a lot of growing up to do." he told her, giving her a look. She smiled and leaned in close to his face.

"Well why don't you show me how to?" she whispered, planting a kiss on his cheek. She could see Ava's face turn red as she curled her fists. Pierce backed away and let go of her arm.

"Just go down with the others." he told her. She pouted at him, but didn't get a change, so she did as told. Ava sighed and shook her head as Pierce turned to her. "What's with you?" he asked her in complete curiosity. She shook her head.

"It's nothing." she told him as she turned to walk down to the courtyard. He sighed and shook his head, knowing full well what the problem between the two was.

"Everything alright?" Rayne asked him as she walked up, holding Soriah. He turned and raised his eyebrows.

"We'll see after you've told us what you saw in the Cave." he told her simply. She nodded, and they walked down to the others.

By now, only Shin and Terra were still by the ship. "C'mon, Terra. We should go see what they need." Shin told her. She sighed.

"I don't even know what's going on, Shin. Back in the Holy Land, I was so scared when we were trapped in that desert. My Esper was triggered, and I was so afraid that I would hurt everyone." she began. He shook his head.

"Terra….." he began, reaching out his hand to her. She smiled.

"But you reached out to me. You found a way to reach me inside of that demon. For so long, I was afraid of what I could become, but now…I'm ready to fight." she told him, reaching out and holding his outstretched hand. He was completely taken aback by her, but smiled.

"Then let's go." he told her, pulling her gently onto her feet. She smiled and slowly put her arms around him. His face turned red, but he quickly hugged her back. They then turned to go meet with the others, but not before Marek walked by.

"Best friends my a….." he began.

"Shut up." Shin cut him off, still not trusting the man.

COURTYARD….

"So what's so important?" Shin asked them as he and Terra took the last two seats around the stone table they had put right-side up. Pierce stood up.

"As you all know, Marek, Rayne, and myself went to the world called Dagobah alone and entered a mysterious place called the Cave by the only living creature there, a small green man calling himself Yoda. Within this cave, each of us experienced different things, being roads to the past or the future, or other unique things." he told them.

"So what did you see in there?" Griffin asked, leaning back in his chair. Pierce smiled as he lightly tapped his knuckles on the stone table. He reached up and summoned his Keyblade, showing everyone that he now held it backhand.

"So that's what you saw." Ven said.

"I did not notice it before." Kain commented.

"Excuse me? I don't get it." Lulu put in. Ava rolled her eyes.

"Like a common whore would." she said. Lulu shot to her feet before anyone could stop her.

"If you're so perfect then what does it mean?!" she yelled angrily. Ava looked at Pierce and gulped.

"I don't know." she admitted.

"My point exactly." Lulu muttered, sitting back down. Pierce sighed.

"The Cave saw fit to show me the life, trials, errors, and journeys of my father. I walked in his shoes through both of the Keyblade Wars and through his time as a Keyblade apprentice. I know the wrongs he committed, and the heroism he rose into." he told them. Kain had his arms crossed, but he nodded slightly. The rest of the group just nodded silently, except for Rayne, Ven, and Marek, who were there for pieces of Jack's life in person.

"Marek, what did you see?" Terra asked him. He shook his head.

"It's my business." he replied simply.

"And we're supposed to trust you." Shin commented. Marek rolled his eyes.

"Like I said, you don't have to like me, kid, but I'm here fighting for the exact same thing you are." he told him. Shin stared at him silently, the suspicious glare never leaving his face.

"It's obvious this group has some problems. They need to be settled before we even think about going back out into the worlds. The last thing we need is someone else dying when we're trying to help." Pierce told them, mainly looking at Ava and Luriel. Both girls looked back at him innocently, until he raised his eyebrows at them. After that, they stared at the ground.

"Whatever, man." Shin told him, glancing back at Marek.

"Let's get to the real reason we're sitting around this table." Rayne said, handing Soriah to Kain and standing up. The group grew silent as they looked at her. Apparently she took the spotlight so little that when she did, she had very important things to say. "My own journey into this Cave….showed me the future." she began.

"What….?" Ven gasped. Kain stared at her, not showing any signs of surprise, neither did Marek or Pierce, but the rest of the teens began murmuring amongst themselves.

"And in this future…" Rayne began again, silencing everyone. "Lorans had destroyed everything. But I believe this is what may happen, not what will happen. If we bond together and unite as a team, we can still stop him before he reaches that point. Our only chance is to put aside our differences. We will train, and get as strong as we possibly can. We will take down Vasey, Mika, Xehanort, and Braig, and then Lorans will be alone. We will fight, and we will win, because we have to." she told them firmly. The group by now was completely silent and solemn. No more childish jabs were being made at each other, no one was whispering. Everyone was fully alert to what the woman was saying. Rayne sat down, and Pierce stood back up.

"We've worked out a training regime. If there are any objections, then you'll just have to deal with it." he told them, shrugging his shoulders. Clearing his throat, he held up a list and read off:

"Ava, Keyblade training with master Ven. Griffin, Keyblade training with Rayne, and I'm with Marek." he paused and scrolled down.

"Combat training, I will be working with Kain. Griffin will be working with Ven. Terra, Ava, AND Lulu will be working with Rayne. Shin is with Marek." he finished, scrolling down to the next part.

"No!" yelled Ava, Lulu, and Shin all at once. Pierce pointed to the ship.

"Alright, get on. Where do you wanna be left at?" he asked them. No one answered him, and he looked at them. "This group needs to solve all its problems. I'm fed up with all of the jealousy competitions over me." he said, looking at the girls, who both looked away in embarrassment. "I'm fed up with the old grudges that need to be put aside, at least for now." he said, looking at Shin, who stared back at him and said nothing. "We will train with this regime, and we will become one united team. We will become strong enough to take on Lorans because we HAVE to. There's no time to be kids anymore. The adults tried taking this guy on so the kids could be kids. But you know what? If the kids don't grow up now and fight, then there won't be a world for kids to be kids in! So it's time to put your differences aside and work together!" he told them, not yelling, but not talking at normal volume either.

He held up the list he had been reading and threw it down on the table. "Someone take over. I've had enough of immature children for one day." he told them, walking away rubbing the back of his neck in frustration.

Shin glared at his back angrily until Terra touched his hand. "He's right, you know." she told him. He looked back at her in anger, but his face softened.

"I know." he told her, and then looked over at Marek, who had taken over reading the training list. "But I don't know if I can do what he said." he told her slowly.

"Yes, he destroyed our home, Shin, but look. He's here trying to make a difference, same as us. He's trying to make everything right. That's all he can do. We can't ask anything more from him, Shin." she told him softly. He nodded, smiling slightly.

"I know, Terra. I know." he told her quietly.

Ava stood up to walk away as soon as Marek finished reading the list, but found her path blocked by Lulu. "Gonna try and sweet-talk him when he's mad at both of us?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Not now, Lulu." Ava told her, brushing past her. Lulu fell into step next to her.

"Face it, Ava. We both like him. He's just gonna have to choose in the end." she told her calmly. Ava stopped and looked at her, eyes narrowed.

"Oh shut up, whore! You know you don't like him like I do. You've even admitted you're just _interested_ in him! You don't know anything about what I feel for him!" she told her, storming away. Lulu sighed.

"Well, at least I can tell the grouch I tried." she told herself, walking away.

**Alright, well it's a nice change of pace. Everything's slower now, so I can just take my time and put as much detail as I want into it. So how'd you like it? Did I get enough character out of certain people who've been getting pushed to the side? Honestly, my one problem is Griffin. I'm struggling to find ways to give him screen time. TEL, if you're still reading, I could use some advice. Don't forget to review, everyone! If everyone reviews, then with this chapter we will have passed Wanderer's Chronicles in reviews! And we're only about 9000 words from passing RTDoD in length!**


	32. Ch 32: Training

**Hey, guys. I'm pleased to see that you all liked last chapter. Here's the shout outs:**

**13TheAce: Well he's the leader, so he has to, lol. Yep, and very fun for me to write, haha! You'll find out in the end!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Thanks, and I just meant from the audience's perspective.**

**AngelicWinds: Ha, you know it! Pierce…**

**Lucenthia: Thanks, I've really tried to show that! It's not the end of it, trust me.**

**Celeron96: Yep, that's the spirit! Of course he is! There's still a lot to Marek that you guys haven't seen yet. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, I'm confident, lol. Ha, sure it isn't. It's because of how much of Jack's life he's seen. Lulu provoked her though. Yep! Cool, I can't wait! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Haha, well I know where you stand on the love triangle. We'll see, won't we. **

**Alright, well if you don't know what I own by now, then you skipped some of the story and you need to go back. You should know what everyone owns by now.**

**If Square Enix announces Kingdom Hearts 3 at E3 for PS4, I'm gonna riot! Who's with me?! Other than that, no other announcements. Oh, hey Herald! For some reason, I can not stop listening to Red Sun from MGRR! I can't get it out of my head, lol. **

Chapter 32: Training

"C'mon, Ava! I know you've got more than that!" Ven yelled from the sidelines. Ava exhaled sharply and glared at her opponent. He stared right back at her, holding his broadsword ready, his brown hair glistening in the sunlight.

"Give me all you've got, Ava." he told her calmly. The pink haired girl charged forward with a war cry. As she reached back and swung her Keyblade forward, Shin brought his sword up to block the attack. She back flipped away and held her fist out at Shin while hovering in the air. Her fist glowed blue for a few seconds, and he rolled to the side to avoid the pillar of ice that shot up where he had just been.

She landed again and threw her Keyblade. He saw it coming as he stood back up and barely managed to knock it away. She ran at him, summoning it back to her hand and trying to knock him off balance with a quick barrage of blows. He managed to block each one and spun downward, his face coming close to the ground as he aimed a kick at her. She backed away, and he finished spinning and got back in his battle stance. She raised her blade to strike again, but he twirled his sword around and impaled it in the ground. A broad line of energy shot out toward her and knocked her off her feet.

As she shot back through the air, she flipped around to face him and kicked the air, flying back at him. He held up his sword to block her, and when they clashed, a wave of energy blew everything back a few feet. Shin jumped back and got a good look at his sword, which had electricity running through and around it. "Oh yeah….." he muttered, looking back at his opponent. He ran forward and jumped into the air, bringing his sword down on top of where Ava was standing. She jumped away, and his blade sunk into the ground several inches. The area around the blade became covered in ice instantaneously.

"Go Shin!" yelled Terra from the sideline. Both of them turned back to one another and ran at each other one final time, locking blades and pushing each other back.

Ven began clapping and stepped into the ring they had made to help with the sparring matches. Shin and Ava looked at each other and smiled. "Nice one." she told him.

"You too." he said back, turning to walk toward Terra, who was standing at the side of the ring.

"That's enough Keyblade training for one day, I think." Ven told his apprentice as she walked up to him and smiled.

"Thanks, Master." she told him, pushing her hair back behind her shoulder and going to sit down as the next two combatants took the ring.

"Time for combat training." Pierce announced.

"Somehow I don't think this is fair." Luriel muttered, looking at her opponent. Kain smirked.

"What's wrong? Scared of me?" he asked her. She smiled and laughed loudly.

"Scared? Of you?" she asked, standing in a casual stance. Suddenly, she threw one of her sickles with such force that Kain barely managed to roll to the side to dodge it.

"Watch it." he told her calmly. She smiled.

"Sorry, I didn't know I was supposed to take it easy on you!" she yelled, catching her sickle. He shook his head.

"I meant watch your feet." he told her, pointing at the ground. She raised her eyebrow and looked down while Kain twirled his lance.

"Rumble!" he yelled as a blade of light shot up right where she was standing. She took a hit and was launched into the air, hovering for a few seconds.

"Nice one, but try this!" she yelled at him, smirking as she tossed both sickles into the air. Her hands began to glow with green energy, and she threw her arms out toward Kain. Before the holy dragoon could figure out what was happening, thick green vines shot out of the ground and wrapped around him, holding him in place. He struggled to free himself, but smiled.

"Still have a few surprises, I see." he told her. She smiled as she lightly tossed a sickle into the air and caught it again.

"So do you." she told him as she reared back to throw it again. He smirked.

"Indeed I do." he told her as he began to glow with energy. He shot up into the air with such speed that he broke the vines.

As she looked around trying to figure out where he was going to land, he came crashing down right behind her. She whirled around swinging, but he leaped backwards and raised his lance. "Lance of the covenant!" he yelled as he threw it at her. Lulu gasped and held up both sickles. The hooks were curved enough that she pulled them tight right after the tip of the lance went through them and stopped it from hitting her. But the lance was thrown with such force that it still pushed her back several feet, but she managed to keep her balance.

She lowered her sickles and kicked the lance up into the air. She jumped up and spin-kicked it back toward its owner. Kain caught it and twirled it into a ready position. "Do you yield?" he asked her. She rolled her eyes and ran at him. He smirked as he ran at her, too. As she raised her sickles, he jumped up at the last moment, front-flipping as he hovered above her. "Bow down!" he yelled as he kicked her to the ground. She hit the ground with a groan and rolled onto her back to try and get up, but found Kain's lance tap her neck.

She sighed and held up her hands in defeat. Pierce, Rayne, Griffin, Shin, and Terra cheered and clapped. "Last match before we take a break!" Rayne announced. Pierce smirked as he stepped into the ring. He sighed, but kept his smirk on as he looked at who had stepped in to face him. Marek summoned his Keyblade and held it out to his nephew.

"You ready for this?" he asked him. Pierce smirked.

"Youth always wins, uncle. Your old age gives me an edge." he said confidently. Marek smirked back at him.

"I'm not dead yet, you little smart-aleck." he told him calmly as Pierce summoned his Keyblade. **(Terra's Theme, Birth by Sleep)**

"C'mon then! Show me what you've got!" Marek yelled at him. Pierce yelled as he ran at him twirling his blade.

As Marek readied to block, Pierce flipped into the air and brought his Keyblade crashing down brutally. Marek shrugged off the attack and knocked Pierce's blade aside. He pushed against the younger man's chest and knocked him backward off his feet. Pierce tumbled across the stone, but quickly got back on his feet and charged. He ran in and slid in a circle, aiming a circular kick in order to take his opponent's legs out. Marek jumped straight up to dodge the attack and came down with his boot heading toward Pierce's face. Pierce couldn't dodge it in time and felt Marek's boot connect with the scarred side of his face. He groaned as he was pushed onto his back and went flying back several feet as Marek back-flipped away.

Pierce stood back up, staring at Marek in a very anticipating way. Marek stared back at him the same way. "Give it everything you've got!" Pierce yelled at him, throwing his blade down to stick in the ground as energy began to gather around him. Marek sighed and threw his blade up into the air. He drew in his arms, and a dark aura appeared around him. His eyes stayed green, though, meaning he wasn't completely going into his darkness form.

"C'mon!" Pierce yelled, his eyes glowing. They were all bright orange. There was no white in his eyes anymore, and a flame-like energy wave surrounded him.

All of the bystanders stood back in shock and worry at what these two were going to do next. Marek reached up and caught his Keyblade as it fell back to his hand. Pierce took up his Keyblade again, and in that moment time slowed to a halt for Ven, who saw something else.

Before him stood Pierce, in his own version of the Wanderer's suit, but his eyes were glowing orange and light-based energy surrounded him like a flame as he pulsed energy in every direction. He blinked, and saw something else in Pierce's place.

He saw a man with calm, spiky brown hair glowing with the exact same kind of energy. The man was wearing a sleeveless white shirt, black pants, and had a white gauntlet on his right arm. A black headband normally covered his right eye, but in this form he had both again. He held his black and gold Keyblade the exact same way Pierce did, but the difference was obvious.

Ven realized that the energy known as Light that had once been inside Jack Rikkison had not returned to Kingdom Hearts at the end of the Third Keyblade War. It was inside his son, Pierce.

Pierce smirked crazily and roared like a feral beast as he charged his uncle. Marek looked uneasy about the situation, but charged nonetheless. "STOP!" screamed Rayne suddenly. **(end Terra's Theme)**

"That's enough." Ven told them as the two somehow stopped before crashing into each other. Marek's darkness disappeared at once, but Pierce's light stayed on.

"Shut it down, Pierce." Ava said worriedly. He tried to concentrate on shutting it down, but it wasn't working and he didn't know how to.

"I don't know how, guys!" he yelled. He looked at his hands and saw the power coming off of him. _"So much power….." _said a voice in his head. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Ava standing there trying to comfort him, not showing any signs of fear. He hearkened to her voice as she spoke.

"Pierce, it's alright. Control it, and shut it down." she told him calmly. He heard her voice, and listened. Slowly, the light began to fade. His eyes returned to their normal dark green, and the rest of the energy disappeared.

"I had no idea that was even in me….." he muttered.

"I thought it impossible at first." Marek told him as the adults walked up to where Pierce and Ava were standing.

"I had Terra take Soriah and the other teens away. They don't need to hear this." Rayne told Kain as they walked up.

"Ava, go with them." Ven told her. She shook her head immediately.

"No way!" she told him angrily.

"Let her stay." Pierce said emotionlessly. The others sighed as they turned back to him.

"I've seen that power before." Ven told him. Pierce looked at him.

"Where?" he asked.

"Dad, during the last war." Rayne told him calmly. Pierce looked at her and slowly nodded.

"So what's the problem?" he asked.

"Jack gave his power back to Kingdom Hearts to try and save it, the same way Rayne gave back her own powers." Kain explained.

"So what does that mean then?" Ava asked them.

"It means Kingdom Hearts has seen fit to keep the entity of Light within the true Rikkison lineage. This could either be a good thing or a bad thing." Marek told him, holding up his hand and summoning a ball of dark flame. "Back in the war, Jack and I clashed with all of the powers the god had given us. Kingdom Hearts saw fit to pit us against one another, Jack bearing the Light and I the Darkness. For centuries the Light has been seen as the savior of mankind, but that is merely coincidental. So many bad people have utilized the darkness that the people fail to notice any person using the Light for evil. That unstable power has no place in our fight against Lorans, you can be sure of that." Marek told them quietly, standing with his arms crossed at the back of the group.

"What do you mean, Marek? What do you know?" Ven asked him. The others looked at the white-haired man, but Marek shook his head.

"It's not for you to know yet. In time, perhaps we will all see some sense." he told them simply, turning to walk away.

"Marek!" Pierce called after him, but received no answer.

LATER…..

Everyone gathered to see the last match of the day. Griffin with his shape-shifting powers vs. Terra who was still trying to fully master her Esper form. "I'm right here, Terra." Shin told her, standing as close to her as possible. She bravely shook her head.

"I need to do this alone, Shin. I have to be able to control myself even when you're not around." she said without turning around. He nodded silently, at a loss for words at her newfound bravery.

Griffin smirked as he threw his Keyblade into the air. The blade changed into a glowing tiger that landed next to its master. Terra drew in her arms and closed her eyes, focusing hard and breathing slowly. Slowly, she floated into the air and began to change. A cloud engulfed her for a split second, and when it was gone, she was in her feral form.

She looked around for several seconds, and it was obvious that Terra didn't have control. "Terra!" Shin yelled worriedly, but Pierce put a hand over his mouth.

"No, she's doing it! Watch!" he told the brown haired teen. Shin watched in awe as Terra began to calm down. She stopped fidgeting her claws and feet, and she looked straight at Griffin. She even found a way of talking, although it was in more of a growl than her normal voice.

"Let's fight." she said simply. Griffin threw his hand forward and the tiger lunged for her, his fangs bared and his claws extended. Terra held out her arms and caught him by his stomach with both hands. She held him over her head for several seconds, and then threw him back toward Griffin, who was wide eyed as his own creation landed on top of him.

Terra returned to her normal form as everyone cheered and congratulated her. Shin came up and hugged her tightly. "I'm so proud of you." he told her. She smiled.

"If I can control it, then I'll actually be able to help the group fight instead of just being a liability all of the time." she told him. He nodded and smiled at her.

The whole group turned to Pierce, who had walked to the front. "We had a great day of training today! Everyone, great job! Let's thank the two who put everything together for us, Rayne and Ven!' he told them. Everyone clapped as they looked at the two. They smiled and nodded in thanks. Everyone then looked back at Pierce.

"We've made so much progress in only a week. Think of the good we can do the next time we're needed on a world!" he told them. Suddenly, they heard the communication transmitter in the ship going off.

"Speak of the devil….." Lulu muttered as the group headed for the ship.

Rayne pushed the relay button, and a familiar face appeared. "Cloud." she greeted. The spiky blonde haired swordsman looked back at them through the screen.

"I haven't heard anything from the other worlds, but I hoped I could still find you on here. We've been in the dark for almost two months now. Xehanort's pressing us hard. The resistance is trying to get a foothold, but the old man is pretty much the sovereign dictator of Gaia now." he began explaining.

"How bad are your losses?" Ven asked him. Cloud grimaced.

"Only Zack, myself, and Vincent are still here leading. Everyone else is MIA or dead." he told them emotionlessly.

"We're on our way, Cloud." Pierce promised him. Cloud smiled.

"Thank you. The sooner you get here, the better chance we'll have." he told them, signing off. Pierce sighed and turned to the others.

"I need two people to go scout Spira. Mika will be our next target once we've helped Cloud. Kain, I want you to go check on Cecil and see how Baron's holding up. Lastly, I need someone to check on Robin and the gang." he told them. Kain nodded, and several people volunteered.

"I'll go to Spira." Ava and Lulu both said at once, but quickly stepped back after seeing the other one say it.

"Good, that's decided." Pierce said, smiling as he turned away.

"What?!" both girls exclaimed. Marek cleared his throat.

"Pierce, I'll go to Nottingham. My dark portals get me around quicker than anything anyone else has. Plus, I know the inside of the castle. I've been there before." he told his nephew. Pierce nodded.

"Alright, so Kain, Marek, Ava, and Lulu are heading to their chosen worlds. The rest of us are heading immediately for Gaia to help Cloud, Zack, and the resistance." he announced.

**Alright, well I tried to include everyone in the fighting except for Ven and Rayne, who were supposed to be in charge of everything. I think the chapter was good! Any thoughts, guys?**


	33. Ch 33: A Legacy Led Astray

**Sorry about the absence, guys, but I had to go on a trip. Alright, well here's the shout outs:**

**Shadowdragon1317: Ha well thanks, but it wasn't any random idea, trust me!**

**13TheAce: Yes, and I'll let you think that for now. She can, but it's still very unstable. **

**AngelicWinds: Well, you shouldn't be surprised by plot twists by now right, between this and RTDoD? **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Ha, you can't kill Vincent unless you rip out Chaos. He's immortal. **

**Lucenthia: Well thanks a lot! I really tried, and actually I did figure something out! Gohan Roxas knows already, hahaha!**

**Celeron96: Thanks! Prime's been talking to me about his KH3 and asking for advice. He told me you lent him Luriel, haha. You're loaning her out almost as much as I am Jack!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, we'll all find out, haha. It was in the cards all along. But everyone just dismissed what Marek said. That was a big hint there. Well, from here she's gonna be fully in control. It'd be kinda repetitive to have two people exploding all the time because they can't control their curses, huh?**

**Alright, if you don't know what anyone owns by now, all I've got to say is "really?!" Woohoo, we have four rioters! Myself, Celeron, Ace, and Prime! Herald, if you say told you so, I'm sending Marek, Jack, and pretty ticked off Mist after you, followed by Pierce and Lorans! I'm sure Celeron will send Lulu after you too, lol!**

Chapter 33: A Legacy Led Astray

While Marek moved through the dark portals toward Nottingham, Kain rocketed toward Baron, and Lulu and Ava flew toward Spira, the rest of the group covertly entered Gaia's atmosphere.

Landing several miles from the city of Edge, Pierce, Rayne, Griffin, Ven, Shin, and Terra walked out of the ship and looked around them. Rayne gently rocked Soriah back and forth, holding him in her arms. "Just leave him in the ship!" Pierce told her, looking at her incredulously. She stared at him in angry shock.

"Unless someone wants to stay and baby sit him, no! We are not just leaving him in the ship alone while we go off and could be gone for days!" she yelled at him. He rolled his eyes and began to walk away.

"It's alright, Rayne. We can take turns holding him." Terra offered, smiling at the five month old baby. Soriah giggled at her and burrowed his face into the front of Rayne's shirt. Rayne smiled at him and looked at Terra.

"Thanks. He's getting so big! I'm sure he'll be walking soon." she told her. Terra smiled.

"I'm not changing any diapers!" Shin told them from the front, where the boys were walking. Terra sighed and smiled slightly at Rayne, who just shook her head and kept walking.

As they approached the town, Pierce reached up and pulled his hood over his face. Ven looked over at him and had to admit that the white and black of Pierce's outfit balanced better than the original version had. He pulled his tattered black cloak around him and pulled his own hood up.

The entire group had begun wearing cloaks and shirts with hoods so that they could at least partly hide their identities.

"So do you think Xehanort's here?" Griffin asked Pierce as they walked through the streets. They were walking in pairs to avoid drawing attention. Pierce casually picked up an apple from a stand and pretended to look at it.

"I doubt it. He has to go back and forth between here and Destiny Islands, since Lorans entrusted him with both. He normally has Braig watching this world whenever the loyal dog isn't running errands for the Council." he explained to the younger teen. Griffin nodded.

"I just don't see why we're doing all this for people." he said suddenly. Pierce raised an eyebrow and looked over at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked him. Griffin looked around.

"I get why we're fighting Lorans and everything. He killed our parents, but there's no reason to get caught up in a war between the people and the Council. Both sides hate us, so why are we trying to save them?" he elaborated. Pierce shook his head.

"We do this because it's what our parents would have done. I know what my father wanted me to do, and I'm doing my best to fulfill it." he told the red-head. Griffin exhaled sharply.

"Easy for you to say. Your dad was a hero. Mine was just a pyromaniac who couldn't take anything seriously. At least you knew your parents. I never even met my mom. She died giving birth to me." he told Pierce somewhat angrily. Pierce sighed.

"I understand, Griffin. Yes, I reach out to my father more, but there's no he could have ever provided the comfort that my mother did. There is nothing like a mother's love for her child. But, Griffin, we are here, doing what's right." Pierce told him firmly. Griffin sighed, and shook his head.

"No, I'm done. I'm done trying to be someone I'm not. I don't belong with you guys, and I don't belong fighting for these people. You are all going to die, and I'm not gonna be a part of it." he told Pierce, stepping up and looking up right into the older teen's face.

"Griffin…." Pierce began, but Griffin threw off his group cloak and left it in Pierce's hands. He then turned and angrily walked away, disappearing through the crowd.

Pierce sighed and looked around at where the others were scattered around. Ven and Shin were looking at him, barely showing any shock, but both Rayne and Terra's mouths were hanging open in complete surprise. Pierce suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder and flexed his hand, ready to summon his blade as he turned around. A cloaked figure was standing behind him, hunched over and weak-looking. "You're the ones that master Strife called?" he asked in a feeble voice. Pierce slowly nodded. "Gather your friends. I will take you to him." the man said. Pierce nodded and looked around at his group. He motioned his head toward the man, and they slowly came walking toward him.

"What's your name?" Pierce asked the man as he opened up a sewer hatch behind them. The man coughed weakly.

"Doesn't matter now, but your father knew me as Reeve." he told him, climbing down a ladder and disappearing into the darkness. Shin, Ven, and Terra all entered the sewer one by one, the latter holding Soriah very firmly as she descended into the darkness. Rayne put a hand on Pierce's chest to stop him for a moment.

"What happened with Griffin?" she asked. He sighed and swallowed hard.

"He's ashamed of his parents and feels that by me following what ours wanted in helping the people, that he doesn't belong with us. He said he quit, and that he's done." he told her simply. She sighed and put a hand on his shoulder.

"He'll come around. Are you gonna be alright?" she asked him. He looked up and smiled sadly.

"Me? The real problem's gonna be having to explain it to Ava." he told her as he stepped onto the ladder and began climbing down. Rayne nodded in agreement and went down right after him, shutting the lid back over her.

SPIRA...

Lulu and Ava slowly made their way through the capital city, which they knew from passersby that it was called Bevelle. "So where do we go from here?" Lulu asked her pink-haired companion. Ava sighed and glanced at her, still not fully sure if she should trust her.

"Mika's going to be in the palace, so we need to find a way inside." she said. Lulu nodded and they both raised their hoods as they approached the doors. A guard was stopping a woman from entering.

"But please, I must speak with High Summoner Yuna! She knows my grandson, and she must come help him!" the woman pleaded. The guard shook his head.

"Sorry, ma'am! Lady Yuna is in a meeting with Council Member Mika. None are allowed to see her!" he told her. The woman shook her head.

"That's what you said the last three times I've been here!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry, ma'am, no exceptions!" he told her angrily. She shook her fist at him.

"So where is Sir Wakka, elder Kimahri, and Lady Lulu then, huh?!" she screamed. The guard motioned to his fellows, who quickly ran forward and arrested her.

"Lulu?!" Luriel whispered questioningly. Ava rolled her eyes.

"Not you. A woman who fought alongside Yuna, Tidus, and Auron." she told her simply.

"How do you know that?" Lulu asked her curiously. Ava rolled her eyes again and sighed.

"Because I listen to people that I pass by when I'm in a foreign world." she told her as she began searching the walls for another way in.

BARON..….

"Cecil." Kain greeted as he walked into the throne room. Golbez, Cecil, and Ceodore were all standing inside.

"How goes the fight against our enemy?" Cecil asked him. Kain sighed.

"It could be better, but we've sustained no losses so far, except for a woman in Sheriff Vasey's world." he replied. Cecil nodded sadly.

"Well, things aren't going very well here, I'm afraid. That woman that corrupted me, Golbez and Rydia managed to find out what she is." he began to explain. Kain nodded as Golbez cleared his throat.

"She is the last Maenad." he said simply. Kain's eyes widened.

"Impossible!" he gasped. Golbez nodded.

"It would seem one survived all those years ago. Xehanort slaughtered all of the rest. Did you never think of how the old man gained vast knowledge of the X-blade and its origins?" he said. Kain shook his head.

"But what is she after? Revenge? But Xehanort is on the Council! Why would she side with the man who slaughtered her people?!" he gasped. Cecil sighed.

"Only time will tell, my friend." he said.

AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME LATER…

Cold water splashed onto his face as someone used a bucket full of it to wake him up. "Ready to talk yet, runt?" a voice asked. The blindfold over his eyes stopped him from looking at his surroundings, but he recognized the voice.

"I don't know anything, Braig. I quit." he told the man simply. Braig smiled as he pulled the blindfold off and yanked on a strand of the red spiky hair.

"Well, how about we work out a deal?" he asked, holding up a bag full of munny. Griffin stared at it silently, his swollen lip trickling blood and his left eye swelled shut, already turning purple. "We can keep on like this, until I torture you, learn what you know, and then kill you, or we can make a deal." Braig told him, smirking evilly. Griffin stared at him for several long moments.

"Tick tock, better decide quickly." Braig told him, swinging the bag of money back and forth in front of the young Keyblader's face. When Griffin said nothing, Braig sighed and turned away. He looked at the menacing brute of a man next to him. "Torture him. When I come back, I'll give him one more chance to decide where he stands." he told the guard, who nodded and began to pull down on the chain holding Griffin up by his arms.

"Wait, I'll deal." Griffin croaked through his parched mouth. Braig shook his head as he was walking out of the room.

"Too late, kiddo! I'll come back tomorrow!" he said, shutting the door behind him.

"Wait! I'll deal! Braig!" Griffin screamed as the man yanked him into a room filled with gruesome looking instruments.

**I** **apologize about the shortness of the chapter, but I'm flat out exhausted. At least I got it up tonight, right guys? Well don't forget to leave a review! How do you feel about Griffin's role right now? It gets better next chapter, just wait! Thanks Lucenthia for giving me half of an idea about that.**

**One more thing. The poll I put up a week or so ago was messed up, I know. I took it down and fixed it, so if you feel like it, you could go vote! Alright, well my bed is calling. That's all for tonight, folks!**


	34. Ch 34: Gaia's Resistance

**Hey, guys. I wasn't shocked by most of your reviews. I'm not sure if we'll be in Gaia for two more chapters or three, but be assured you won't be able to say anything about Griffin not having screen time. Shout outs:**

**Shadowdragon1317: Well, we'll see. That's all I'm saying about it. Thanks! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: He can't hear you, you know that, right? Haha the only people I can speak for are those I own. Thanks!**

**AngelicWinds: Ha, well both girls have strengths and faults.**

**Lucenthia: Oh gee, thanks! Haha, thanks! Things are pretty bad in Gaia, but Spira is even worse off. There's no Cloud or Zack in Spira to make a resistance. There's only Tidus, and he's a prisoner of the Council. **

**Celeron96: Good to be back, ya? Herald, not a word if you caught that! He's supposed to become more detached, yes. That's all that's gonna be explained. Pretty much! Yeah, that's the exact same thing with Jack.**

**Gohan Roxas: Yep. Why, do you like him? **

**The Unknowing Herald: Yeah I get what you're saying. How did Yevon hide Vegnagun? You're not rude at all, you're exactly right. At least now he's gonna have a memorable part of the story. Thanks.**

**13TheAce: Well, the main party's in Gaia, but yes we'll see Spira a little bit this chapter. Marek will get a scene or two, as well. **

**Alright, well you know what everyone owns…I hope. Enjoy!**

Chapter 34: Gaia's Resistance

The cloaked man called Reeve led the five of them through the sewer tunnels. They were completely dry and had flaming torches hanging on the walls every couple dozen feet. "How long has the resistance been fighting?" Pierce asked their guide. Reeve spoke raspily without turning around.

"Four months now. It has not quite been six months since the Purge Massacre took place. Cloud has been doing his best to lead the rebels, but he's lost so many friends by this point that he's ready to give up." Reeve told them.

"What happened?" Terra asked him. He sighed.

"Cloud led the WRO rebels and the freedom fighters alongside all of the heroes of Gaia, Barret, Nanaki, Tifa, Zack, Aerith, Angeal, Genesis, and the rest. We began the war winning every battle. For a while, we kept even Xehanort's elite pushed back to the palace. But the victories did not last long." he began.

"Lorans." Pierce said. Reeve nodded.

"The supreme Councilor led a massive battle against us that crippled our army. In an effort to have what remained of our troops flee to safety, the heroes took him on. Lorans killed Barret and Yuffie immediately. Nanaki after that, followed by Tifa and Angeal. We lost sight of Genesis and Vincent in the fight. Genesis is still MIA, but Vincent returned. Those were our losses that single day." Reeve told them.

"So who's left?" Rayne asked quietly, trying not to choke on her tears. Reeve shook his head as he continued leading them through the tunnels.

"Over the course of the last month, Xehanort's been tracking us. He caught Aerith by baiting her out to help a child. We had to sneak to the top of his palace in the dead of night to cut her body down and bury it. Cid's airship was shot out of the sky last week, and we haven't heard anything since. Yesterday, Braig shot Cloud in the spine." he finished. The group looked up immediately.

"Is he okay?" Ven asked in worry. Reeve stepped aside and gestured them forward. They looked forward and gasped as they walked into the massive cavern before them. Lights were set up all over to illuminate everything within. The five travelers looked around in shock at the lack of people.

There was a set up that could easily have held 500 men, but less than a hundred people were in there. "You'll need to go up to Command. Cloud's waiting for you." Reeve told them, pointing them to a small building built into the rock off to their right.

GAIA CAVERNS, COMMAND CENTER…..

"I can't believe they're all gone." Rayne whispered. They were sitting around a long table that held enough chairs for almost two dozen people. None were filled but the ones the five were sitting in. Shin looked at Terra and smiled slightly.

"It's not too late to help these people." he told her, knowing her thoughts. She sighed.

"I'm not so sure, Shin." she told him. Ven looked around at all the empty chairs. This hit him the hardest because he had known most of the people that should have been sitting in this room. After a few minutes, Reeve walked in and sat down by the other end of the table. A door buzzed open close to where he had sat down, and a wheelchair rolled into the room. Cloud looked out at them as he pushed the chair aside and wheeled up to the table.

"Cloud!" Ven gasped in shock at seeing the man in a wheelchair. The blonde haired man held up his hand to stop him.

"I'll be fine in a couple days. We need to get to the issue at hand. Xehanort is here, so we have to use this opportunity to destroy his foothold here. If we can make him lose ground, and if we can take the palace, the people will rally behind us. The world will be ours again." he began, leaning forward to put his elbows down on the table.

"So where's Braig?" Pierce asked him. Reeve cleared his throat.

"He was at the palace this morning, but he hasn't been seen since. He's off scheming or whatever he does when his master isn't tugging his leash." he told them. No one felt any difference, but obviously Cloud knew something as he leaned back and sighed.

"Vincent, what happened?" he asked, not looking anywhere in particular. The red-cloaked man appeared out of virtually nowhere, stepping out of the shadows with a slightly melancholy stride.

"Cloud, they know where we are. Someone's leading them here. Somehow, they're tracking them." he said, gesturing to the five travelers.

"Who's here?" Pierce asked him, standing up. Vincent looked at him and blinked, not saying a word.

EARLIER….

The boy's screams could be heard echoing through the basement of Xehanort's palace. Braig leaned against the wall casually as he listened to the sounds of agony. "No, no please!" he heard Griffin scream. A second later, he heard a sizzling sound, followed by the loudest scream thus far.

"That guy must know how to make an impression." he muttered, thinking about the guard he left with the boy.

Griffin screamed as the red hot piece of metal pressed against his bare stomach. His shirt had been torn from his back, and he was hanging by his wrists held up by a chain in the ceiling. The guard smirked evilly as he took the metal off of his stomach and put it back onto the fire. He growled happily as he picked up a wooden club with metal studs on all sides of it. Griffin stared at him and swallowed hard. He braced himself just before the club struck his right leg. He screamed as he felt something snap in his leg.

The man then went to swing at the other leg, but gasped as a red arrow suddenly protruded through his chest. Griffin stared at him as the man fell to the ground in surprise. The man stopped moving as he sunk onto his knees. Braig sighed as he walked up and kicked the body onto its side. "Served me well, but no one can hear about this." he told the dead man, before looking over at Griffin. "Now, about that deal….." he said, crossing his arms. Griffin tried to control his moans of agony, and slowly nodded.

"I'm yours." he whispered, his face flexing in pain. Braig smirked and nodded, pulling out a potion.

"You know, under Lorans, these things have become rarer than a Keyblader now. I wonder why he forced these to stop being made. I'm using the only one in my entire stock on you, so you better not disappoint." he told the boy, uncorking the healing draught. Griffin nodded, and Braig gently poured the liquid into his mouth. Griffin swallowed greedily, and instantly felt his wounds begin to mend. Braig cut his chains, and by that time, Griffin could stand again.

"What do you need from me?" Griffin asked him. Braig smiled evilly.

"You're my servant now. I want to know everything about your former friends, and you're gonna help me kill them. Got any problems with that?" Braig said, staring at the boy's eyes to try and find some hesitation. He sighed happily when he did not see one flicker of reluctance in the boy's eyes.

"I am yours to command." he said simply.

AN HOUR LATER…..

Griffin stepped out of his new room in the palace, fully dressed in a completely new outfit. He wore a sleeveless black shirt, gray pants with the Council's insignia, and wore spiked brown boots. "I'm ready." he told his new master. Braig shook his head.

"No, you're not. There's still one more thing." he said, raising his eyebrows. Griffin slowly nodded and closed his eyes. He focused hard, and felt himself leaving his body.

STATION OF AWAKENING…

Griffin floated down through the abyss until his feet touched the glass floor that was the top of the pillar. He calmly summoned his Keyblade and looked around. A figure rose behind him, bearing a close resemblance to him but wearing his original costume. "This isn't what father would have wanted." the phantom Griffin said. Griffin shook his head and raised his Keyblade. **(The Threat, Dissidia 012)**

"Father is dead. I intend to be on the winning side of this war, and if I have to kill a few of my old friends who stand in my way, so be it." he said simply. The phantom Griffin summoned a Keyblade of his own and held it ready.

"I won't let you do this." he told the real Griffin firmly. Griffin smirked, a newfound evil rising within him.

"Then you'll just have to die, won't you." he said simply. Even the phantom Griffin was shocked by his other's words, but held up his blade anyway.

"Don't do this." he pleaded. Griffin closed his eyes slowly, and when he opened them again, his eyes glowed yellow. At the same time, an aura of darkness appeared around him. Griffin laughed maniacally, his new darkness uncontrollable. He charged for his other and swung his blade hard.

The darkness surrounded his Keyblade and changed it entirely. His blade that was once peaceful looking and resembling the calm wildness of nature, in its place was a blackened thing resembling dying forests and sharp thorns. The phantom Griffin screamed as the black blade cut right through his own and severed him in half. The phantom fell to the ground in two pieces before slowly fading away. Griffin smirked evilly as he held up his new blade and looked at it fondly, his yellow eyes beholding his newfound power. He was completely shocked when white clouds began to gather in front of him and form another ghost. **(end The Threat)**

This phantom was a tall man with longer spiky red hair than his son had. He was still wearing a black coat, but his normal carefree charisma was completely gone. Griffin stared up at his father, who looked back at him with nothing but regret and disappointment. "There's no coming from this, kid. You won't live long in the darkness. You will enjoy powers you never had before, but they will be short lived. In the Garden, you will meet your demise, and on that day, none will be able to protect you from the rage of the Rikkisons." Lea told his son completely sincerely. Griffin stared back at his father indifferently.

"You're not real. You're just another phantom trying to stand in my way. I'm not my father, and I'm not a hero. I'm sick of sitting on the sidelines, or in the back row. This is my moment, and I will be remembered as one of the Immortals alongside Lorans." he said calmly, turning his back on his father and walking into a dark portal.

Lea sighed. "Well, he'll see the truth when that day comes." he muttered right before fading again.

XEHANORT'S PALACE….

Griffin opened his eyes, and Braig stared at the new yellow in satisfaction. He cleared his throat, and Griffin stretched out his hand and summoned his new Keyblade. The captain smirked and nodded.

"Alright, take me to your friends." he told him. Griffin nodded.

"Just before your men took me, I saw them head into the sewers with this man in a cloak. I'll take you to them." he said. Braig nodded as they began walking down the hallway.

"We kill 'em all except the Rikkisons. Lorans wants them for himself. We spare the child, too. For some reason, the big man wants him, too." he told his new servant. Griffin nodded as they walked outside to where Braig's men were waiting.

BACK TO PRESENT TIME WITH PIERCE'S GROUP…..

"Griffin's leading them here." Vincent told them quietly. Pierce exhaled sharply as his group stood up. They suddenly heard explosions outside the building, and Shin ran over to the window.

"They're here." he said, drawing his sword out of the sheath on his back. Rayne handed Soriah to Terra and summoned her Keyblade. Ven and Pierce both summoned theirs, as well. Pierce stepped toward the door glaring death, but Rayne grabbed his wrist.

"Pierce, don't….." she told him. They looked out the window to see Griffin leading the charge into the chamber. Pierce sighed.

"He has to be stopped before he does any more damage." he told her. She stared at him in a sad way, and he shook his head, turning to the others. "Ven, Shin, and I will hold off Griffin and Braig's men. Rayne, Terra, get Reeve and Cloud to safety. Vincent, I'm not even gonna try to tell you what to do." he told the people in the room. His group nodded, and Vincent drew his gun.

"I'll hold the escape route open for you and stop any from going after them." he said, gesturing to Cloud, Reeve, and the girls, who were heading through the back door, Terra holding Soriah tightly against her chest, who was indifferent to what was going on around him. Pierce sighed and smiled slightly.

"Oh to be a baby in this crisis…." he murmured as he turned to the other two. Ven and Shin smiled, but quickly turned back to the door as a fresh explosion shook the cavern. Ven got behind the door and put his hand on the doorknob, ready. Shin positioned himself on the other side of the door while Pierce stood back and in front of where it would open, holding his blade up ready to block any kind of attack.

"Ready?" Ven asked them. Shin nodded, and Pierce darted forward. Ven slammed open the door right as Pierce reached it, and the black haired teen led the charge out into the battle.

Vincent stood by the door ready to shoot anyone running in. He stopped Cloud as the other man came rolling by, though. He looked down at him. "Cloud, something happened on the patrol…." he began. Cloud nodded.

"I figured when you came back alone. Is he alive?" he asked. Vincent sighed.

"I don't know, but all we know right now is that Zack is MIA." he said emotionlessly.

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, LOCKSLEY VILLAGE…..

Marek stepped out of his dark portal, having already visited the castle and Robin's camp, but found no evidence of any of Robin's gang in either place. He walked into the village to find it deserted. Well, not deserted. A frantic Much came running past him, and he put out a hand to stop him with such force that the worried man fell onto his back.

"Much, get up! We've gotta find Robin!" Allan told him as the rest of the gang came running up.

"Marek….?" Djaq asked, as if unsure if that was his name. Marek nodded and helped Much back onto his feet.

"Where's Robin?" he asked them. Will answered.

"Well that's the tricky bit. He's not really himself right now. As soon as we got home, he went crazy and ran away, telling us to stop holding him back." the young man said. Marek sighed and shook his head.

"Because of Marian?" he asked.

"Well, of course!" Much exclaimed, still frantic.

"He's going to try to kill Gisborne." Little John said suddenly. The gang's eyes went wide as they looked at Marek.

"Find the villagers! That's where those two will be!" he told them, summoning a portal.

**Well, it was longer than the last one. Another filler, I apologize. Next one will be action packed, though, I promise! Alright, don't forget to review, plenty to comment about! Griffin's transformation, everything in Gaia, and Robin's recklessness! **


	35. Ch 35: The Fight for Gaia

**Heya, guys! I'm updating earlier because now a lot of us are getting done with school and stuff, so if everyone reviews quickly enough, I might even start updating twice a day! I can't promise, but I'm definitely gonna try! Alright, shout outs! Had 9 reviews! That's the most we've had in one chapter so far, I think. **

**TheEighthLight: You know, I even miss you saying that, but that chapter was 3000 words, haha!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, you know how things go. Yes, he will. And I know, it's supposed to get even darker. You'll see even more in Spira, which you'll get to see some of this chapter! **

**Celeron96: Very much so. Yep, you won't know which one's right until around chapter 55. All you missed was like three good episodes. The best part of Season 3 was newcomer Archer, who I'll be using during the next time the group goes there. **

**13TheAce: You and me both. No it definitely does not!**

**Gohan Roxas: Yeah, I know what you mean.**

**AngelicWinds: Hehehe, why thank you, Angelic! But believe me, the death of Jack and the others was just the beginning. Soon, we'll be getting into the good stuff!**

**Lucenthia: Well thank you! It seems random because he hasn't had screen time. You have to really pay attention to what he's saying to get it. Robin's not gonna go that far, trust me. I'm staying mostly with the plot of RH Season 3, except Will and Djaq are staying instead of Tuck and Kate joining the cast. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Not really the Sora, but I see what you're saying. I wouldn't compare Griffin to Riku, though. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: I guess no one paid close attention to what he said, lol. Yeah something like that. Zack's my second favorite FF character and considering I haven't brought Auron back, there's no way I'm gonna kill my favorite surviving FF character. That would make Kain my surviving favorite, lol.**

**Alright, well thank you all for the reviews! You should know what I own by now, so I'm not gonna do a role call and I'll just let you get on to the chapter now!**

Chapter 35: The Fight for Gaia

**(Timely Ambush extended, Crisis Core)**

Pierce dashed out swinging, cutting through a group of soldiers that were running for the door. Ven and Shin came out less than a second behind him. Ven threw his Keyblade at a soldier up on a rock above them, aiming at them with his gun. The soldier was knocked and fell several dozen feet down to the ground, where the remaining remnant of Cloud's fighters was waging war against their attackers. Hundreds of swords clanged repeatedly, and the noise echoed loudly all over the cavern.

Ven caught his Keyblade again and held out his arm, sending a pillar of fire to carve a path through their enemies. Shin held up his blade to deflect a few bullets coming his way, and peeled off from the group, disappearing into the chaos. Pierce continued to push forward relentlessly, a firm expression on his face as he scanned the battlefield for his target.

It didn't take him long to find who he was looking for. Griffin was several dozen yards away, fighting with more expertise than he had ever shown before. The young traitor twirled his Keyblade in a circle, transforming it into a black spear. He fell to the ground, doing a full split as two of Cloud's soldiers swung toward his head. Their blades flew over his head, and he jumped back to his feet and thrust his spear forward, impaling the first one. He flexed his hand, and the spear turned into a dual-bladed axe as he pulled out his dagger and turned it backwards, driving it into the stomach of the man behind him.

As the red-head turned to look for new combatants, Pierce and Ven headed for him. They hadn't moved more than a few steps before red arrows hit the ground all around them. They looked up to see Braig smirking at them from a raised platform above them. Pierce looked at Ven and nodded. As Ven ran toward the platform to engage his old enemy, Pierce vanished into the chaos, pulling his hood up to confuse Braig.

Braig looked through all of the fighters, but could not find the young Rikkison. Just as he thought he spotted him, he heard someone step onto his platform. He turned around with an evil growl as he and Ven glared at each other.

Shin jumped over two of Cloud's fighters and kicked in both directions, knocking a couple of enemies onto their backs. As he landed, another one ran at him with a raised sword. Shin raised his sword into the air, and as the man thrust it at him, he brought his sword down vertically, forcing the man's sword into the ground. As he tried to pull his sword out, Shin smiled as his own sword began to glow. The man gasped as ice covered Shin's sword and quickly transferred onto his own. The ice quickly crept up his arms until it had frozen him solid. Shin smirked as he reached out an arm and pushed the man onto his side, still frozen in a block of ice.

Pierce dodged and weaved his way through the battle, occasionally cutting down an enemy in his way. It didn't take him long to get to the clearing that Griffin had made.

Griffin growled happily as he sliced a man through his midsection. He slowly stopped and turned as he felt the furious presence behind him. He turned to see a sight that for so long he had thought so admirable: The young, lean, form of what used to be his friend. The Rikkison in the white and black outfit, the hood completely hiding his face as he held out his Keyblade toward the traitor. "This ends now, Griffin, before you do any more damage." he said as he calmly held his Keyblade backhand in a ready position. Griffin smirked as he casually twirled his own and held it out to him.

"I couldn't agree more." he said simply, his yellow eyes staring at Pierce gloatingly. With a yell, he ran at his former friend. Pierce held up his blade to block Griffin's as it swung down toward his head. Their blades locked for a few moments until Pierce punched Griffin in the face hard enough to stagger him backward. The red head stumbled backward. He looked up at Pierce as he wiped the blood from his mouth. His eyes glowed chaotically as he threw his Keyblade into the air. Darkness surrounded the blade as it transformed into a massive black bear with spikes protruding from its back and legs. Its eyes were red as it roared angrily. Griffin smirked as he jumped onto its back.

"You can't beat me, Pierce!" he yelled happily. He raised both his hands and threw them toward Pierce. The bear roared furiously and charged. Pierce rolled to the side to avoid the bear as it swung its claws at him. He got to his feet, now behind the monster. Griffin flexed his hands, and the bear turned around to face him again. It rubbed its paw against the ground like an angry bull and charged. Pierce held his ground as the beast drew near to him.

"Through here! Go now!" Shin yelled to the few remaining soldiers. Cloud's fighters quickly ran through the tunnel leading to the evac point, and Shin looked up to see Ven struggling to get near Braig, who kept teleporting away from him and shooting him in the back.

Ven swung at Braig, who teleported away and shot a dozen arrows at him. "You know you can't get near me!" he told him, smirking. Ven sighed, gasping for breath by this point.

"But I can." said a voice. Before Braig could even turn around, Shin's boot collided with the side of his face and sent him flying off his feet. Braig fell halfway to the ground and teleported away. He raised his arrowguns, but sighed at seeing both Shin and Ven holding their blades toward him, ready.

"You win this round, kiddos." he told them, calmly backing into a portal and saluting them in farewell.

As the bear came running right up on him, Pierce stepped to the side and brought his Keyblade down on the bear's paw. The massive creature went tumbling forward right as Pierce jumped above it and kicked Griffin in the face, knocking the boy off of its back. Pierce then spun in mid-air and held up his Keyblade, the blade facing down. He plunged it into the back of the falling bear, and darkness began to ooze out of the wound.

From where he was lying on the ground, Griffin began to writhe in pain when Pierce impaled his creature. The bear roared in agony and exploded into black vapor that disappeared after a few seconds. Pierce turned and walked up to the defeated Griffin, holding his Keyblade at the boy's throat. **(end Timely Ambush)**

"What happened to you, Griffin?" he asked him sadly. Griffin stared up at his former friend in utter loathing.

"You're so smug. You think you're supposed to be our savior, our messiah, but you couldn't be farther from the truth. My eyes have been opened. I know the future, Rikkison. I'd do your best to suppress that Light if I were you." he told him ambiguously. Pierce slightly lowered his Keyblade.

"What are you talking about?" he asked him. Griffin shook his head and smirked.

"Wouldn't you like to know? But know this: A Rikkison will die by my hand, I swear it. I need only prove my worth to Lorans, and I will live through the Purge!" he told him calmly. He placed his hand flat on the ground, and a portal appeared underneath him, swallowing him up instantly. Pierce sighed and looked around, realizing that he, Ven, and Shin were the only ones in the cavern now. Hundreds of bodies lay on the ground, surrounding them.

"Cloud's fighters?" he asked them.

"Close to three dozen made it out." Shin told him, wiping his sword clean and placing it back in its sheath.

"Rayne made it to the surface alright. They're waiting for us." Ven told him. Pierce nodded, walking toward the escape tunnel.

"You two go on ahead. I'll be right there." he told them. They nodded and walked ahead. As Pierce was about to call Ava's communicator, he received one from Kain.

"_Pierce, I'm on my way to you. I'll be at the ship in ten minutes." _said Kain's voice. Pierce sighed.

"Kain, we'll need to fill you in when you get here, but a lot has happened over the last two days." he told him. Kain sighed.

"_I'll be there soon." _he said in response. Pierce nodded as the transmission ended. He sighed and ran to catch up with the others.

SPIRA…..

"Get off my foot!" Ava whispered harshly.

"Sorry….." Luriel whispered back. They had found a side entrance into Yevon headquarters, but it was through the sewer system. The tunnel they were going through was about four feet tall and two feet wide. "Are we there yet?" she mumbled.

"How should I know?! Just be quiet, we could be right by the wall!" Ava whispered incredulously. A second later, she smacked into a wall due to not having any light down in the tunnel. Lulu sniggered behind her, and Ava aimed a backwards slap at where she thought the other girl was. She smiled as she felt her hand hit skin.

"That was my face!" Lulu exclaimed quietly. Ava laughed quietly.

"It should look considerably better now, then…." she muttered back.

"Why, you….!" Lulu began, but Ava shushed her as she began to kick the wall in front of her. After a few kicks, the wall began to budge, and eventually it opened enough for them to get out.

Both girls stepped out into the hallway and stretched. "Well, where to?" Lulu asked. Ava listened closely, and heard voices coming from the right.

"I say left." she told her green-haired companion, leading the way down the hallway.

Soon, they emerged into a huge room with three raised platforms above them. But it wasn't the platforms that made the girls gasp in horror as they walked in. It was the five bodies hanging from the ceiling.

One was a young blonde haired girl, and the name plate sitting beneath her body read "Heretic No. 6: Rikku."

The next was a tall man wearing yellow trousers, and his red hair stuck up in the middle. His name read "Heretic No. 3: Wakka."

After him was a woman in a long black dress. Hers read "Heretic No. 4: Lulu."

Then there was a hulking creature that looked like a humanoid blue lion. His name read "Heretic No. 5: Kimahri Ronso."

The very last one was hanging by her neck higher than all the others. She was wearing her second outfit, consisting of an open white tank top, black short shorts that concealed very little, and a white sash on her right leg. Ava didn't have to read the name plate to know it said "Heretic No. 1: High Summoner Yuna." She began to sob at the scene before her, and while the scene disgusted Lulu as well, she noticed a gap between Yuna's body and the others. She saw a rope dangling from the ceiling, and a name plate beneath it right in between Yuna's and Wakka's.

This one read "Heretic No. 2: Tidus."

"Ava, someone's missing. I think he's still alive." Lulu whispered, pointing at the name plate. Ava looked up and narrowed her eyes, thinking.

"He has to still be alive somewhere then!" she said. Lulu nodded.

"But remember that woman earlier? They're not telling the public what they've done here. That has to be why they still trust Mika and Lorans. What if we exposed this?" she said, gesturing toward the hanging bodies. Ava's eyes widened in surprise at Lulu's ingenuity.

"You're not nearly as dumb as I've led myself to believe." she complimented. Lulu laughed.

"I could say the same about you!" she replied. Suddenly, a gun cocked behind him.

"What do you think you're doing here?!" demanded an angry voice.

"Uh-oh…" Lulu muttered as she and Ava raised her arms, hearing many pairs of feet running up behind them.

GAIA, FUGITIVE'S SHIP…..

"We have one chance to destroy Xehanort's foothold here, and we have to take it right now." Cloud told them. He, Reeve, and Vincent were sitting on one side of the meeting table, facing Pierce, Ven, Shin, Rayne(who was holding Soriah), Terra, and Kain, who had just arrived.

"Xehanort has Braig, Griffin, and an army!" Rayne argued. Pierce cleared his throat.

"Griffin's not gonna be fighting anytime soon. I hurt him pretty bad. And we crippled Xehanort's forces down in the cave. I'm sure we can do this." he told them. His group looked at him doubtfully, at least until Cloud pushed his wheelchair back from the table and put both hands on top of the armrests.

"Cloud, it's too soon! You can't…..!" Reeve began, but Cloud shook his head. His face flexed in immense effort, and he slowly began to rise out of his chair.

"I have to, Reeve." he said through clenched teeth. He managed to get out of his chair and locked both of his knees. He leaned against the table and tried to catch his breath. "We'll need every sword in this fight, and except for Vincent and maybe Zack, I'm all this world has left." he told them. Reeve stood close by him in case he was going to fall, but Cloud regained his feet and stood strong. "I will not sit by while my world crumbled around me." he said firmly.

"Then it's settled. Prepare your troops. We attack Xehanort's palace." Pierce told him. Cloud nodded, and Pierce's group walked outside to prepare.

NOTTINGHAM…..

Robin's gang sprinted through the woods toward screaming voices. It was at a cliff that they found Robin, grappling angrily with Gisborne. Gisborne pushed Robin onto his back, and the outlaw hit his head on a stone, dazing him. Gisborne smirked as he pressed his advantage, picking up Robin and lifting him over his head.

"Master!" Much screamed as Gisborne threw Robin off the cliff and screamed in victory. Much drew his sword, and the rest of the gang drew their own weapons. Gisborne drew his sword and turned toward them.

"Care to join him?" he asked them as his soldiers rallied behind him. The five outlaws angrily charged.

"For Robin!" they yelled as one.

MEANWHILE, RIVER AT THE BASE OF THE CLIFF…..

Marek stepped out of his portal and looked around. "Robin!" he called out, but heard no response. He began to walk up and down both shores of the river, looking for any sign of life.

After several minutes of searching, he finally found the man he was looking for. Robin was laying against a log in the shallows, unconscious. Marek sighed and ran over to help him.

GAIA, XEHANORT'S PALACE…..

"Xehanort!" Pierce yelled angrily. He, his group, Cloud, Vincent, and their remaining men were gathered in front of the palace, ready to fight. Xehanort appeared in front of them out of a dark portal.

"I applaud you, little Rikkison. You put Braig and his new slave out of commission for now. I have no desire to fight you, not yet anyway. I will only fight you when Lorans orders me to do so. But that does not mean I will hand over this world, either." he told Pierce, smirking.

"Get out of our world, you old creep!" yelled a voice. Out of one of the second story windows came a random soldier. He flew past them and crashed into a building. A second later, a man leaped out of the window and landed behind Xehanort. His Soldier uniform was tattered and torn, and he looked no less for wear, but Zack smiled energetically as he held up his Buster sword. Xehanort laughed quietly.

"I have what I need from this world. Take it, and remember who the true enemy is. Not all of us wish to see the insane dictator unleash his final contingency." he told them.

"What are you talking about, Xehanort?!" Cloud demanded. Xehanort smiled as another portal appeared behind him.

"My armies are already gone, as are the dog and his puppet. Prepare for the end, heroes of light, for it is nigh approaching." he told them simply, walking into his portal without glancing back.

The entire group looked at each other in utter shock at Xehanort's behavior. "This isn't right." Vincent muttered.

"He was scared of us!" Zack said proudly, smiling wide.

"Oh, Zack…." Ven murmured, scratching his head.

"Why would he give up a world without a fight?" Shin asked them.

"Because Xehanort wants us to take down Lorans for him." Kain told him. Pierce turned to Cloud.

"So what else do you need from us, Cloud?" he asked. Cloud smiled and shook his head.

"We should have it from here. Go, I'm sure there are other worlds calling." he told him. Pierce smiled and shook his friend's hand.

"If you need us, you know how to reach us." he told him. Cloud nodded, and his face turned serious.

"I'm sorry about Griffin." he said. Pierce nodded emotionlessly.

"He's chosen his side. He should hope our blades don't cross in battle again." he replied simply. Cloud nodded, and Pierce turned back to his group.

FUGITIVE'S SHIP, THE LANES BETWEEN….

"Pierce, you may want to answer this!" Rayne called from the pilot's chair. Pierce got up from where he had been talking to Kain and Ven and walked up to her.

"What is it?" he asked her. She reached up and pulled down the transmission screen.

"We're getting a call from Spira. It's Ava." she told him. He nodded as Ava's face came up on the screen. From the looks of things, she and Lulu were in some kind of cell.

"Pierce, we kinda got into a bit of a predicament…." she began. He sighed and smiled at her.

"I thought you were better than this!" he joked. She scowled at him.

"Don't even start with me, Pierce. I've been locked up in a cell with Luriel for almost a day now. Come get me out of here or I'll go insane!" she told him. He sighed.

"We're setting course for Spira. We'll be there as soon as we can, don't go anywhere." he told her. She rolled her eyes.

"Obviously…." she muttered in irritation right before ending the transmission. No sooner had she stopped it than Marek appeared on the screen.

"Pierce, Robin's in pretty bad shape. Apparently, he went crazy when they got back home. He tried to kill Gisborne and got thrown off a cliff." he reported. Pierce sighed.

"Is the gang with him?" he asked. Marek nodded.

"Of course. They fought their way out of Locksley and barely made it past Gisborne's men. They're tending to him now." he replied. Pierce nodded.

"Then meet us in Spira as soon as you can. Robin can wait. Mika has Ava and Lulu captive." he told him. Marek nodded.

"I'm leaving now. Race you there." he said with a slight smile. Pierce smiled back.

"Thank you, uncle." he said. Marek nodded, and ended the transmission.

"Time to kick Mika's…..!" Ven began.

"Ven, can you go check on Soriah?" Rayne asked, purposely cutting him off. Ven sighed and walked to the back of the ship, where the baby was lying in his crib, crying.

"He needs his diaper changed!" Ven yelled to let her know.

"I'm flying the ship! You'll have to do it!" Rayne told him.

"You've gotta be kidding me…"

**There is a reason that Xehanort didn't fight them, and it'll be talked about later, I promise. It wasn't random, trust me. So how did you like Griffin and Pierce's clash? Don't forget to review and vote on my poll!**


	36. Ch 36: Heart of Yevon

**Hey, everyone! I'll get right to the shout outs:**

**Lucenthia: Well, Griffin is still nowhere near Pierce. At the beginning of the story, both he and Ava easily overpowered Pierce. But now that he's got his father's Light, strength, and confidence, coupled with 8 months of training and leading the group, Pierce has surpassed him. Ha, well no I don't plan on bringing everyone back, I promise you that. And that's how it seems now, so just hold on tight. **

**TheEighthLight: Okay, I asked you about this and you just said it was my story, so…..But haha, I do feel like Herald in his evil state, lol. **

**Celeron96: Well, thank you! Well, wouldn't we all?**

**AngelicWinds: Oh, yes! Like I said, we're just getting started! Casualties of war, sweetheart! Battle always brings sacrifices. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Yeah, that hurt me so bad when writing that. Unlike Herald, I like every member of the FFX gang, and Wakka's higher up than Lulu and Kimahri for me. **

**13TheAce: Yevon and Mika always kept Spira in a state similar to the Dark Ages. The church carried out executions of heretics and other similar things, so yes. Yep!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Thanks, and I think Pierce has given up on him, but just wait until Ava finds out what happened…**

**The Unknowing Herald: Ha, I bet! Well, like Kain said, he wants Lorans gone just as much as them. I never said there wouldn't be, though. And he has information they want that also answers your next question.**

**Alrighty, guys, I'm sure you know what everyone owns by now. Enjoy!**

Chapter 36: Heart of Yevon

The group was very quiet as Rayne guided the ship into Spira's atmosphere. Pierce stood up and walked up to where she was sitting and looked out of the front window. His sister took great care to fly high enough to avoid detection, but occasionally he still caught flashes of landscape beneath the clouds: a flowing ocean, unending green plains, several small villages. "So where are those two being held?" he asked her. Rayne looked over at her monitor and typed in something.

"They're being held in the palace of Bevelle. That's the darkest part of the heart of Yevon." she told him.

"Yevon?" Terra asked from her seat by the window, gently rocking Soriah back and forth.

"It's a religion led by Mika. At one time, there were four people leading it called Maesters. During the Second Keyblade War, we fought against a man called Seymour who was one of them. When we beat him, we thought we had ended Yevon's reign of terror." Ven explained to her. She nodded and looked back out the window.

"Land us over there in the outskirts. Mika's still a Council member, so there'll be warrants out." Pierce told his sister, pointing to a clearing close by. Rayne nodded and began to guide the ship down. Pierce turned back to the others, who looked at him. "We're in Council territory. Cloaks and hoods on everyone. Go." he told them simply. They all nodded and immediately went to go get their disguises.

He walked over to the table and picked up his black gauntlets, fastening them onto his forearms. He put his vest on over his gray shirt, leaving it unzipped, and walked back up to his sister as she gently eased the ship onto the ground.

She stood up and flipped the switch to open the loading bay before putting on her own cloak, a dark blue one, and joining the others outside with Pierce.

Ven was wearing his tattered black cloak, Kain was wearing his white and blue robes, Shin was wearing a sand-colored cloak, and Terra was wearing a dark red one. Pierce nodded to them as he pulled up his hood. The rest of them did the same(except for Kain, who's face was already concealed) and followed him toward the massive city in the distance.

BEVELLE, PALACE OF YEVON…..

"Split up into pairs. Just like we trained, we can't afford mistakes now. Go." Pierce whispered to them, keeping his head down. Rayne and Kain branched off together, as did Shin and Terra, who was still holding Soriah inside her cloak. Ven and Pierce calmly walked down the long bridge in front of them and walked toward the guards.

They moved to go inside, but one of the guards held out his hand to stop him. "What is your purpose in entering the inner courtyard of the Yevon palace?" he asked them. Pierce looked up slightly, but kept his face low enough to fully conceal it.

"We wish to pray for our relative. She passed the day before last." he told the guard calmly. The man didn't look like he believed them and crossed his arms.

"You'll have to show me the prayer to gain entry." he said simply. Pierce nodded, not knowing what to do. Ven glanced at him covertly, but Pierce suddenly thought of something. As the guard put a hand on his sword hilt, Pierce waved his arms in a circle, and brought his hands in, forming a ball by cupping both hands, one over the other. Ven looked at him, and then at the guard for a tense second.

"Pass." the guard finally said, stepping aside and opening the door. Pierce nodded in gratitude and walked through, silently hoping that the others had seen that.

"How'd you know that?" Ven asked him. Pierce smiled.

"The day we rescued Shin and Terra from their hanging, I saw Mika do that prayer when talking about them as heretics. It was all I could think of, so I gave it a shot." he said simply. Ven smiled and shook his head.

"Well, you certainly took your time." said a bored voice. Pierce rolled his eyes as he looked to his right, where a man in a long sleeve gray shirt was leaning against the wall, arms crossed.

"We don't all have the dark portals, uncle." Pierce replied. Marek smiled slightly as he walked over to them. "Don't you think you look a little conspicuous without a hood?" Pierce asked him. He shook his head.

"Nah, these guards don't know anything. They do what Mika tells them to. That's about how smart they are." he replied.

"Did you find out where they're keeping the girls?" Ven asked. Marek nodded.

"They're being held in the lower levels of the palace. Tidus is being held somewhere else entirely." he told them simply.

"Why didn't you break in and get them out?" Ven asked him.

"The door's magic-proof. Not even our Keyblades will open it. Lorans put some kind of lock on the entire dungeon, so he must know the girls are there." Marek told him. Pierce sighed.

"Well, what about four Keyblades?" he asked him. Marek shrugged his shoulders.

"Anything's possible." he simply said. By now, the rest of the group had caught up with them. Shin still looked at Marek suspiciously, but Pierce got the group moving before either one could say anything.

INNER PALACE…..

"How much farther, Marek?" Pierce asked as the white-haired man led them through dark hallways and down steep stairways.

"They're in the lower levels, I said. We're almost there." Marek muttered as they reached a dead end. The hallway went in both directions, left and right.

"Where to now?" Rayne asked.

"Quiet! Listen…" Marek said suddenly. They heard voices and running voices.

"Damn! Guards!" Shin whispered harshly as he reached back and drew his broadsword.

"Marek, hurry!" Pierce told him. Marek nodded and began sprinting down the left path. The others quickly followed him, weapons in hand, except for Terra, who was still holding Soriah.

"Ava! Lulu!" Rayne yelled as they ran into a room with cells all around them.

"Over here!" came Ava's voice to their right. They ran up to the cell door, and Ven went to touch it. He instantly jerked his hand back, having been shocked with a high voltage charge.

"That thing packs quite a punch….." he muttered, clutching his hand.

"Keyblades won't do it! Lorans locked it himself!" Ava told them as Lulu came up to the door next to her.

"Enjoying your alone time, you two?" Pierce asked them.

"SHUT UP!" they both yelled simultaneously.

"Quit messing around! Those guards will be here any minute!" Shin told them from the doorway, where he had his sword in hand, watching for anything coming.

"Together!" Pierce told the others. He, Ven, Rayne, and Marek raised their Keyblades at the same time, and each blade charged with light. Together, the beams shot at the glowing lock above the door. It seemed to be working, but it wasn't unlocking.

Suddenly, Ava stood up and added her own Keyblade to the mix. With five Keyblades together, no lock could hold them. The lock and electrical charge faded from the door, and Lulu kicked it open with unnecessary force before running out and hugging Pierce.

Pierce hugged her back, but quickly let go. Ava walked out and hugged him, and he hugged her tightly. She reached up and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Thank you." she told him quietly. He nodded and turned to the door, where the voices were getting louder.

"Shin, back away!" he yelled. Shin ran back a few steps, and Pierce nodded at Rayne. She conjured a large fireball in her hand, and threw it into the dark hallway in front of them. Lulu ran to the chest in the corner of the room where the guards put everything and pulled out her sickles, twirling them and holding them ready.

The fireball flew into the corridor right as the group of guards came running in. The following explosion knocked most of them off their feet, giving the group a chance to escape. "Cut through!" Kain yelled, dashing forward and knocking another two into a wall. Shin went running out next and slashed through a guard. He twirled his sword around and impaled one running up behind him.

Terra stayed close to Rayne, holding Soriah close to her chest, who was crying uncontrollably. Pierce, Ven, Marek, Ava, and Lulu rushed out together, overtaking the rest of the guards and letting Rayne and Terra get past them all. "To the surface, go!" Marek yelled, having everyone run past him as several guards got back to their feet. Once he was the last one in the hallway, he smirked as he twirled his sword and pointed it at them. He blinked, his eyes instantly changing from green to yellow, and he took a step toward them. They stepped back several feet.

"Boo!" he yelled suddenly, and the guards trampled over each other trying to run away so quickly. Marek laughed to himself and shook his head as he ran after the others.

MEANWHILE, PRISON CELL CLOSE TO THE MAIN ROOM…..

Mika swiftly walked into the room and up to the cell. The man inside turned his head slowly to look at him. "What do you want?" Tidus said quietly. Mika cleared his throat.

"My patience has run out, son of Jecht. Tell me everything you know about the Fayth, Zanarkand, and the Farplane." he said in a no nonsense voice. Tidus laughed quietly and shook his head.

"Screw you, old man. You killed the only one I ever loved, and you think I'm going to help you bring back one of my worst enemies? No, Seymour can stay dead, and you can rot for eternity." he said, staring death at the man standing before him. Mika chuckled quietly and sighed.

"Every man has a breaking point. I would not have thought that you of all people would be the last one defying me. Very well. I shall extract the information I need, and then you will be reunited with your love. You can swing with her for all eternity in the main hall, just like the others." he said, laughing again. Tidus stood up and pounded on the bars.

"I will kill you, Mika! I swear it! Mika!" he yelled furiously. Mika walked away, not turning back.

"The crybaby will never grow up, after all." he muttered. Tidus yelled as he banged on his cell.

"There's no end to this where you beat us, Mika! What's left of the LE will stop Lorans, and I will kill you personally!" he yelled. Mika stopped and looked at the guard standing by the door.

"Take him to the torture room. Gather what information we require, and fetch me when it is done." he told him. The guard nodded, and slowly walked toward the cell door, where Tidus stared at him, unafraid.

**Herald, keep an open mind, I told you earlier. You'll like Tidus in here, I almost guarantee. He's at the point where he has nothing left to lose, so he's going to be reckless and rage-driven, like other well-liked MCs of the FF universe. **

**So, I hope you liked the first chapter of Spira, and don't forget to review! I'll see ya tomorrow!**

**One more thing, guys! As of last chapter, we have passed The Final War in length! The Final War ended at 88000 words, and NPNW is now at 93000! So I don't wanna hear any complaints about my chapter lengths! Haha, well see ya, guys!**


	37. Ch 37: A Vessel's Return

**Hey, peoples! What's up? Alright, on to the shout outs. Straight to business today, I'm afraid. **

**Celeron96: Well, he is still just a teenager. He took out anyone in his way. And yeah thanks, lol.**

**Gohan Roxas: Haha, yes it is!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, the Yevon order was always cruel on the inside. Thanks! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Well, I just said that because Herald's opinion of the guy is less than stellar. I think he's the most underrated main protagonist in the FF series. One day I think he'll shock all. **

**13TheAce: Well think about it from his POV. Everyone he cared about is dead and his enemies are bringing back the one he hated the most. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, I'm glad to have earned that much compliment from you about Tidus. We'll work it all out. **

**Okay, so there's no news right now, at least not that I know of. Enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 37: A Vessel's Return

The man's screams could be heard throughout the massive palace. Mika calmly stood outside the room, hearing the beating and torturing of his prisoner within. He sighed after several minutes and walked inside.

The guard entrusted with torturing his prisoner was punching the man strapped to the chair repeatedly. Tidus took each hit with little more than a groan. It wasn't until the man picked up a knife and drove it through the blonde haired man's arm that he screamed in agony. Leaving the knife in, the guard raised his fist to punch Tidus in the jaw again.

"Wait, captain. It would be wise not to break his teeth until he has told us what we need to know." Mika said as he walked toward them. The guard nodded silently and stepped aside. The old man calmly walked up to his prisoner and stared at him. "I shall give you one more chance, Tidus. Tell us about the Fayth and the Farplane, or we shall rip out your ribs, one by one. Then we will pull off each of your fingers until you have told us." he told him. Tidus stared back at him angrily, breathing heavily.

"Talk, or die!" the guard said menacingly. Tidus glared at them for several seconds, and sighed. Despite all of his pulling on the ropes strapping him to the chair, he could not get free. He knew he couldn't take much more, but he didn't see a way out, either.

"The Fayth, in the Farplane, they…..they made a rift, an opening….." Tidus began. Mika brightened up and walked up, leaning in front of his face.

"Yes? Continue!" he said in anticipation. Tidus swallowed hard.

"It's what allowed me to come back. It can bring back those sent to the world of the dead." he continued. Mika smiled widely.

"Is that all?" he asked. Tidus nodded.

"All that you need to know." he said. Suddenly, an explosion shook the building. Mika turned and hobbled toward the door, where several dozen of his guards were engaged in a massive firefight in the middle of the palace.

"The Rikkisons…." he muttered angrily. The guard looked at Tidus and cracked his knuckles, but during the distraction, the prisoner had managed to free one of his hands. Before the guard could take a step toward him, Tidus reached to his arm and pulled out the knife that was embedded in his forearm. He swiftly slashed the ropes holding him and launched himself onto the guard with a yell.

As Mika turned back around, he saw Tidus drive the knife into the man's forehead. Tidus looked up and glared furiously, holding the bloody knife ready. "MIKA!" he screamed in rage. That was all it took the old man to get into gear and try to put as much distance as possible between them. He hobbled out and made his way through the firefight, trying to get outside. Tidus quickly ran out after him, but found his way barred by Mika's soldiers. Holding only a knife, he dashed back around the corner as dozens of bullets flew his way.

"Get down!" yelled a female voice on the other side of the hallway. The defenders parted, holding their Keyblades down as Rayne stepped forward, holding up her right arm, where the gauntlet of her mother shone bright, the gem inside it glowing with power. She threw her hand out, and a massive tidal wave rose up before them and soared down the corridor, clearing the area of enemies.

"Quickly!" Pierce yelled, taking the lead and heading down the hallway. He skidded to a stop as a blonde haired man staggered out into the hallway just ahead of him. "Hey!" he called out. The man turned and looked at his group.

"Ven?! We were told you were dead!" he exclaimed happily. Ven smiled.

"You don't look so good, Tidus, but it's great that you're alive!" he told him. Tidus nodded.

"Mika ran down that way. We've gotta catch him before that snake can slither back to its master, or worse." he told them.

"What could be worse than him escaping?" Rayne asked him. Tidus shook his head and began running down after Mika. The group followed without hesitation.

It wasn't until they reached the main room that Tidus finally slowed to a stop. When the group caught up with him, they found him on his knees, staring at the five hanging bodies of his companions. "Yuna….." he whispered sadly, tears running down his face. He felt a hand gently touch his shoulder.

"They'll pay. I promise you, Tidus." Ven told him. Tidus nodded and stood up.

"I need to cut them down." he said firmly.

"We can't let him get away!" Shin put in. Pierce nodded.

"Agreed. Shin, I want you, Terra, Ven, and Lulu to head on after him." he told them. The four of them nodded and ran out the massive doors behind them. Pierce looked over at those remaining. "Rayne, take Ava and Kain and cut off Mika's escape. I'll join you shortly." he told them. They nodded and ran out.

Now only he, Marek, and Tidus were left. "We cut him down, and we go help the others." he said. Marek nodded, summoning his Keyblade. They could not simply cut everyone down, because they were hanging over an abyss that descended into darkness. They had to take their time and cut each one down individually.

YEVON PALACE, COURTYARD…..

"Mika!" Shin yelled as he and his companions ran into the area. Mika was surrounded by an army of soldiers, and he smirked confidently.

"Bring the Esper, and kill the rest!" he told his men, turning and running away.

"Get back here, old man!" Ven yelled, summoning his Keyblade. **(Shin's Theme{Hot Wind Blowing, Metal Gear Rising})**

"These little guys don't matter! Just stomp 'em and keep going!" Lulu said, twirling her sickles. Shin turned to Terra, who was still looking uneasy.

"Just remember what I taught you, Terra. We may need it in this fight." he told her. She looked at him for several seconds, and then slowly nodded. "NOW!" he yelled to the others, twirling his broadsword and charging. Ven leaped high into the air, and Lulu threw both her sickles at the oncoming crowd.

Terra threw her hand out and summoned a storm of falling icicles to land among the army while Shin crashed through the first line. He swung his sword in a circle above his head, slicing down any in a four foot radius of him. He quickly raised it to block a barrage of bullets shot his way by a soldier several yards away. He threw his sword into the air and flipped, kicking it with his feet. The sword soared and sunk into the soldier, and Shin leaped onto his chest, pulling it out with a squelching sound and landing among a new crowd. He smirked as he held his sword out and renewed his assault.

Ven soared above the battlefield for several seconds before landing among the soldiers with a crash. He threw his Keyblade out, which ricocheted off of a dozen soldiers and soared back to his hand. He whirled around as one came running at him from behind. Ven quickly threw his fist upward, hitting the man in the wrist and making him lose his grip on his sword. Ven quickly grabbed hold of the hilt and twirled it around into its owner's stomach. He rolled forward as another sword tried to take his head off and leaped into the air. Within another second, he sent a volley of meteors to rain down on his enemies.

Lulu quickly caught her sickles as they soared back to her hands. She never stopped moving during the fight. As she reached her first opponents, she slid onto her knees and held her sickles out wide, slicing soldiers on both sides of her. One came running in to swing at her legs as she was still sliding, but she planted a foot on the ground and front-flipped over it, taking both sickles and wrapping them around the man's throat as she soared past him. She hit the ground and began sprinting through the battle. She aimed one sickle high and chopped off one soldier's sword arm while simultaneously aiming low with her other one and caught a soldier by the ankle, knocking him off his feet and onto his face. She spun in a circle while running and held off four soldiers at once. As they barred her path and surrounded her, she smirked as she reached down and touched the ground. Massive green vines sprouted out of the ground, and its tendrils wrapped around many of the soldiers, trapping them.

Terra hovered in the air and held out both of her hands, glowing with fire. Fire rained from the sky, searing countless soldiers, but she took great care not to aim where her teammates were fighting. She gasped in horror as Ven went flying into the palace wall with a yell. He fell to the ground and groaned for a few seconds, but couldn't get back to his feet. She angrily cast a wall of ice to cover a big group of her enemies, but a second later, Lulu came flying right past her and crashed into the ground, skidding across the ground for several yards before slowing to a stop, where she groaned weakly.

"Terra, get out of here! We can't win this fight!" Shin yelled to her as he impaled a man coming up behind him. She shook her head at him.

"I'm not running away anymore!" she told him firmly. He sighed as he cut down another enemy, but suddenly screamed in pain as electricity shot through him. He flew forward and landed on his stomach as a particularly menacing looking guard stepped toward him with a stun stick in hand. He pulled out a gun and smirked as he instructed two of his fellows to hold Shin up in front of him. Terra gasped in horror as he cocked the gun and aimed at her best friend's forehead.

"NO! SHIN!" she screamed in rage as her feet touched the ground. She ran at her enemy fearlessly, and the guard holding the rifle smirked as the remaining soldiers turned to her and charged. She let out a war cry as she stretched out her hand. There was a flash of light, and suddenly she held out a broadsword that could rival the size of Shin's. Unlike his heavenly-looking sword, hers looked very dark, broken, and demonic. She reached the first rank of soldiers and swung wide one time.

In the space of one second, the entire first wave of soldiers flew back off their feet, screaming. The captain showed no fear of the enraged girl as he aimed his rifle out at her. His men rallied around him, and she recklessly charged at him.

Shin watched from the ground, still too dazed to move. "Terra….." he muttered, reaching his hand out to her. He exhaled sharply, and his face and hand hit the ground.

"This ends now!" he yelled as he shot a bullet right for her. Terra had just finished cutting the head off of the nearest soldier when the bullet sunk into her chest. **(end Hot Wind Blowing)**

MEANWHILE, FARPLANE RIFT…. **(The Unsent Laugh, Final Fantasy X)**

Mika chuckled darkly as he nodded to the two guards he had brought with him. The rift of the Farplane was a portal about six feet tall and three feet wide. The two guards reached out and touched their hands on the portal. They suddenly began screaming in pain, and could not take their hands off of the portal.

They were suddenly sucked inside, and Mika looked on in anticipation. A dark silhouette could be seen growing bigger in the portal, as if getting closer. The tall man stepped out of the portal, and his blue boot stepped out onto the bare rocky ground where Mika was waiting for him. "Welcome back." Mika told him, smiling evilly. The man chuckled darkly, his voice being slightly high but full of evil and loathing.

"It is indeed good to return to the world of the living. Thank you for giving me another opportunity to enact ultimate liberation on this pitiful world." he said, staring at the old man in front of him. His deep blue hair had two long horns, one on either side of his head, and one big lock hung in front of his face. His chest was slightly open due to his flowing blue robe, and he held a staff in his right hand with a unique red symbol on the end.

"Much has changed since last you walked this earth, Maester Seymour." Mika told him. Seymour smiled and stepped toward him.

"Do you think I have been blind and deaf in my death, old fool? Just because my decision to be one of the old Keyblade Master's vessels of darkness did not bear fruit, I am not blind to the foolish deeds of Spira's makeshift leader." he said as he held Mika up by the throat.

"What….what are you doing?!" Mika gasped as he tried to pry Seymour's grip off. Seymour smirked at him.

"I'm simply instituting a change of leadership. Your ineptness cannot be allowed to continue. Do not worry, I shall take your place with this Lorans, and together, we shall watch Spira die. Only then shall all of our suffering end, with the extinction of life." he explained, turning back toward the portal that brought him back.

"You can't….you wouldn't…..!" Mika gasped, realizing what the other man was going to do. Seymour smirked.

"Death awaits you." he said simply, throwing the man against the portal. Mika screamed in agony for several moments, until he was sucked inside, never to return. Seymour turned and walked away silently. **(end The Unsent Laugh)**

MEANWHILE…

Rayne, Kain, and Ava hadn't made it far when they were ambushed by an army of Immortals. Although Kain and Ava could hold their own, Rayne found it difficult to fight while holding Soriah.

Kain moved faster than the eye could see, dashing across the ground, leaping into the air and crashing down on top of his enemies, and twirling his lance all around him to keep the Immortals off him. Ava held her own, as well, striking any near her away with powerful strikes. She held her Keyblade out in front of her and shot a powerful blast of Thundaga that cleared a decent sized area.

Seeing Rayne in trouble, she quickly made her way back to her, cutting down many on the way. "You alright?" she asked her as she leaped down on top of one and making it to her side. Rayne nodded, but Soriah was crying loudly.

"It's hard to keep enough concentration to cast spells!" she said over the noise of the battle. Ava nodded, and opened her mouth to ask the question that had been bothering her since the group had arrived.

"So tell me, Griffin…..is he alive?" she asked. Rayne paused for a split second, and kept on fighting.

"He's alive." she said, not saying another word. Ava nodded and kept fighting. What she didn't expect was to get hit from behind. She fell to her knees, but twirled her blade around and impaled the Immortal behind her. "I don't suppose you've got a spare potion? I've used up all my energy on offensive spells!" she asked Rayne, clutching her side, where she had been hit. Rayne shook her head.

"Just sit tight and watch your back! Kain and I will handle this!" she said. A second later, there was an explosion in front of her, and she saw Kain go flying into a building. She sighed as the entire Immortal army turned to her.

"I've got your back…." Ava said as she tried to stand up and raise her blade. Rayne shook her head, and instead placed Soriah in her lap.

"No, I've got it covered." she said, bravely stepping forward. She held her Keyblade out at her enemies and began to glow with power. "This ends now." she said as she got into her battle stance.

**Well, that's the end of the first half of Spira. There will be one more chapter, two if I can't fit it all in next chapter. Any comments, gripes, moans, complaints? Don't forget to review, my faithful followers! I'll see you tomorrow, everyone!**


	38. Ch 38: The Mage and the Monk

**Hey guys, sorry for my random disappearance for a couple days. We had to move everything out of my room to paint, so I didn't have my laptop for three days! Anyway, I know you aren't here for my excuses, so on to the shout outs:**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, everyone gets what they deserve eventually, lol.**

**Celeron96: Yeah, I fixed it, lol. And I just have them act like boomerangs, but I'll use it as a finisher from now on. I don't know, maybe you're just predicting mine, lol! Yeah, I know right? But I either had to bring him back or bring Trema in, cause no way was I making Mika the final boss of Spira. In the end, he proved easier to bring back. **

**Lucenthia: Yeah, you'll see more of Rayne this chapter, I promise! Thanks, and yeah I agree! The greater of two evils, lol. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Oh so you do like Tidus better than Lightning or Cecil. Lol, I knew you would freak for a second or two, at least. I think Seymour is a good villain, actually. He's bent on destroying the world for some twisted way just like Kefka, but their endgames are just different. Seymour truly wants peace for all of Spira, so he's gonna destroy all life to bring that peace. Thanks!**

**TheEighthLight: No it's a nod to Seymour since during IDoD he was one of Xehanort's organization. **

**13TheAce: Very much so, lol! It sucks for a lot of them right now, huh? **

**AngelicWinds: One of these times, your stomach will toughen up, lol. How's the internet thing going?**

**Alright, well it's pretty clear what I own. Shin, Luriel, Griffin, and Ava belong to their respective owners. Alright so one pretty cool announcement! Herald and I are listing all of the facts and histories about Jack and his Normalcy trilogy version of Shin, and we're putting them together to clash to see who would most likely win! All factors are being considered, and neither of us are being biased in the slightest. Results should be interesting, don't ya think? Alright, well here's the chapter!**

Chapter 38: The Mage and the Monk

Terra gasped in shock as she slowed to a stop. The captain smirked as he lowered his smoking gun. Terra slowly looked down at her chest, where there was a gaping hole with blood slowly trickling out of it. "Terra!" Shin screamed from the place where he was lying on the ground. A nearby soldier hit him with the butt of his rifle and knocked him out.

She breathed quickly, touching her wound. As the captain smirked and raised his gun again, she looked at him with a look of pure rage. _"Do not touch him! I will kill you!" _she roared, but it was not in her voice. It was a beast-like roar that was quickly followed by an explosion of light surrounding her as she floated up into the air.

"Uh-oh…" muttered Ven from where he was lying against the wall, too weak to move. **(resume Hot Wind Blowing)**

Terra hovered in the air, now in her Esper form. Her eyes burned with pure rage as she stared at the massive army of Yevon soldiers surrounding her. "Hell yeah…" Lulu muttered, smirking as she struggled back to her feet.

Terra roared as she dove right into a group of people, still holding her massive demonic broadsword. She swung once, cutting a dozen men in half. The captain quickly took several steps backward as his men stepped up to fight her. She let out another roar and pounced on two men, ripping them to shreds in seconds. She stood up and threw her arms wide, sending everyone around her falling backward. She flew up into the air and stared around for her target. The captain looked up in fear and stumbled backward in fear.

"Kill her! KILL HER!" he screamed to his men in utter terror. She roared as she darted across the sky in the blink of an eye. Before he could run five steps, she was behind him and impaled him with her sword. He gasped as she lifted him up by her sword. She leaned in close and breathed heavily onto his neck, right before ripping her sword and dropping his body to the ground.

She whirled around, ready to fight any survivors, but the soldiers were quickly scattering. She cut down those nearest to her, but allowed the rest to run in terror. **(end Hot Wind Blowing)**

She sighed and looked at the ground, before slowly turning around to look at Shin. At the same time, she returned to her normal form in a flash of light. Shin slowly got up, rubbing his head, as Ven and Lulu slowly walked over to them. Shin looked over at Terra as she walked over to him. "Thank you." he told her, smiling. She smiled back, but suddenly began coughing up blood. The three of them frowned in horror as she collapsed to her knees and held her wound, still oozing blood. As she fell, Shin caught her and held her tightly, her face in his lap staring up at him.

"I….I'm sorry…." she told him. He shook his head.

"Don't apologize. I would have done the same for you." he told her, holding her gently. She tearfully shook her head.

"No, Shin. I'm sorry because….." she began before her face contorted in pain. Shin turned to the other two.

"Get Rayne! NOW!" he told them urgently. They both nodded and ran away as fast as they could. He turned back to Terra and tried to keep her calm.

MEANWHILE…..

**(Rayne's theme{Immortal, Two Steps From Hell})**

Rayne calmly stepped toward the army of Immortals and raised her arms. Her gauntlet glowed with magic, as did her Keyblade. Her eyes turned pure white for several seconds, and a great pillar of fire rose up to her right and incinerated a great number of her enemies. To her left, a great mound of ice froze over the hard ground, and when the Immortals walked over it, countless large icicles shot up, impaling many dozen.

She then looked up to the sky and pointed both her Keyblade and her left hand at the clear blue sky. Within seconds, dense dark storm clouds began to appear and swirl, growing larger and covering the sky. The Immortals seemed to sense the disturbance as the sky darkened above them. Several seconds later, lightning shot out of the clouds in all directions, hitting the ground at several key points around the main body. The lightning connected on all sides, creating a closed dome of lightning that electrocuted everything inside of it. Ava and Kain both looked up from where they were and watched in awe.

Rayne's Keyblade hovered by her hand and floated in mid-air. As the dome disappeared and the remaining Immortals began to run at her, she stared back at them calmly. She raised her hands, and her Keyblade flew up to hover above her head. She threw her hand out, and her Keyblade soared into the remaining Immortals. Seconds later, a massive explosion sent all of them flying. When the smoke cleared, none of her enemies still stood before her.

As she turned back around, she found both Kain and Ava staring at her in shock, the latter still holding Soriah. **(end Rayne's theme)**

"What?" she asked them. Kain quickly cleared his throat and shut his mouth.

"Nothing, nothing." Ava quickly said.

"Rayne!" yelled Ven as he and Lulu ran toward them.

"What's happened?!" Rayne called to them.

"It's Terra!" Lulu yelled at her. Rayne glanced at the other two and quickly ran over to them, who led the way back.

PALACE, MAIN ROOM…

Pierce, Marek, and Tidus had just cut the last body down when an explosion shook the whole place. "What was that?" Pierce asked.

"Could be anything." Tidus said in a monotone voice. Pierce turned to his uncle.

"Check it out." he told him. Marek nodded and disappeared through a dark portal.

No sooner had he disappeared than unfamiliar guards surrounded the other two and forced them to hold their hands up in surrender.

MEANWHILE…

As Rayne rushed over, Shin and Terra were still holding each other. "Shin, I'm sorry because…..because I love you." she whispered weakly. He looked down at her in shock.

"What?" he asked her quietly. She smiled painfully.

"I love you, Shin. And it's only now when I'm dying, that I can admit it." she whispered. He stared at her, swallowing hard. "What?" she asked him. He silently leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I love you too, Terra. I always have." he told her softly. She smiled back at him.

"Yeah, yeah, we all love each other. Lay her down flat." Rayne said quickly as she came running up. Shin swallowed hard, silent tears coming down his face. Terra cried bravely as Rayne began to feel around the wound and determine the damage. She slowly raised her left hand and held it in the air several inches above the wound. "This could save her, but it could kill her, too." she told Shin. He slowly nodded.

"Just do it." he told her, staring at Terra. Rayne nodded and looked back at Terra's wound. Her hand glowed with magic, and she cast a very weak magnet spell directly over the bullet hole. The bullet came out easily, and she immediately began to cast healing magic.

"I don't have enough power for Curaga. Cura will have to suffice." she muttered. Very slowly, the wound began to heal and close over. Finally, there was nothing more to be done. "I haven't saved her. I've only prolonged her life by a few hours. I don't know what else to do." Rayne said, slowly standing up and wiping her eyes.

"Why didn't you use this on Marian?" Ava asked her.

"My gauntlet was in the ship. Even if I had left right away, I would have never made it back in time." Rayne explained. Ava nodded and turned away.

"Ah, what a pleasant scene." said a voice only familiar to Ven.

"No…." he muttered. **(Seymour's Theme, Final Fantasy X)**

Seymour smirked as he walked up to the group, his staff in hand and flanked by countless soldiers with long fingers and pronounced veins. "Surrender your arms or die where you stand." he told them simply. Everyone being held at gunpoint, they had no other choice. They gasped as Pierce and Tidus were led out of the palace in shackles. Seymour chuckled evilly as the doors were thrown open, and countless civilians came running in to see what was going on, having seen the battle from their homes. "I am Yevon's new grand Maester! Maester Mika left everything in my hands, and I shall serve you faithfully!" he told the crowds. He gestured to his captives. "These traitors assassinated our beloved grand Maester and tried to overthrow the palace! Therefore, they will all die traitors' deaths!" he told them.

The crowds roared in anticipation. "Got an ace up your sleeve?" Kain asked Pierce, who was next to him. The black haired teen sighed and shook his head.

"People of Spira! You have been lied to! Yevon has been holding dark secrets! They killed High Summoner Yuna and her former guardians and left them to hang in the palace! Will you tolerate this injustice?!" Marek yelled, appearing out of nowhere and throwing open the palace gates, where the five bodies were lying on the ground. The citizens immediately began to scream, and where seconds before they were cheering for the Keybladers' deaths, they were now jeering at Seymour.

"SILENCE!" Seymour roared angrily. He pointed at Marek furiously.

"Kill him!" he told his soldiers.

"I hope you can handle yourself!" Ven told him. Marek smirked as he summoned his Keyblade.

"I can, but I brought back up just in case." he said simply. A figure appeared on the palace walls, and dropped down to the ground next to him. He took his arm out of its sling and held out his massive sword. His blood red haori looked the same as always. His tall collar still partially covered his face, and his expression was as grim as always.

"You aren't the only one who can use the Farplane Rift to return to the living, Seymour." Auron told him calmly. He calmly took a step toward the blue haired mage. Seymour chuckled as his prisoners freed themselves, Shin holding Terra in his arms.

"This should be at least mildly entertaining." Seymour muttered as he readied for battle.

**Yep, Herald, I did it! Lol I've been waiting to bring Auron back for so long! Well, we're at the climax of Spira! Will Terra survive the effects of her injury? Will Auron and Marek make too much badassery for the readers to handle?! Find out next time on NPNW! Don't forget to review, lol.**


	39. Ch 39: Darkness over Spira

**Hey guys. Fanfiction's been a real pain these last couple days. Shout outs:**

**Gohan Roxas: My words exactly, lol!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, well at least u still feel something. Ha, don't worry it'll happen. And hey, you pretty much just called it, lol. **

**TWI1IGHTMASTER: Well it was only 2300 words. Yes way!**

**Lucenthia: Oh trust me, I've been thinking about the final battle a lot. You'll know who they are now. You weren't really supposed to understand who they are. Well I tried to drag it out, but again I can't drag it out too much. Hey no problem! She's had her share of screen time, but some people feel like she's got none. **

**Izumi Natsuno: Ha, well that's all you have to say. Thanks, it really means a lot! **

**AngelicWinds: Awesome, and yeah probably. Well, you'll need it!**

**Celeron96: Very much so, lol. How Jack got it right, we may never know. **

**13TheAce: Lol please don't. She's always had it, she just doesn't show it a lot. **

**Shadowdragon1317: My lips are sealed, lol. **

**Alright, well you should know who owns what. Here's the final chapter…for the Spira world, lol. **

Chapter 39: Darkness over Spira

**(Challenge, Final Fantasy X)**

Seymour raised his hand into the air. "Guado soldiers, to me!" he yelled. The soldiers with long fingers quickly came to his side.

"Plan, anyone?!" Lulu asked as the eleven of them(including Tidus and Auron) formed a line facing their enemies.

"Attack." Shin said angrily, still holding the unconscious Terra in his arms. Pierce nodded.

"For Terra." he told them. Shin glared at him.

"She's not dead!" he yelled angrily.

"Even so, for her." Pierce replied. Shin shook his head as he turned and gently set her on the ground behind him.

"Don't worry, Terra. I'm still here, not far away." he whispered before turning back to face Seymour. Ava was still holding Soriah in one arm as she held up her Keyblade. Rayne glanced back at her.

"You need me to take him?" she asked. Ava smiled and shook her head.

"Nope. I've got him, don't worry." she said confidently. Rayne smiled at her and nodded.

"Today you all die, traitors!" Seymour yelled at them, waving his arm forward. The Guado soldiers charged unquestionably at his beckon.

"Seymour!" Tidus yelled angrily and ran out first. The others quickly followed behind him and engaged the army. Meanwhile, one person avoided the battlefield and walked calmly right for Seymour.

"It seems our fates shall always be connected." the blue haired man said without turning to him. Auron was silent as he put his massive sword over his shoulder and stared at him. Seymour sighed and turned to him. "Well, if you're offering your life, I will have to take it." he said calmly.

Auron just stared back at him. "This ends now, Seymour." he said simply. Without hesitation, Seymour ran toward him and swung his staff upward. Auron brought down his sword to block it and lunged forward, pushing the other man back. As he landed, Seymour cast a wave of ice to fly toward Auron, but the former guardian jumped up and cleaved a path down the middle with his katana.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group fought off the Guado army, but Seymour's men proved resilient to any magic and instantly healed themselves whenever they took damage. Pierce finally managed to cut down one, but there were so many around him. "I hate to say it, but there's one thing that can take these guys down." Marek said, appearing at his side and cutting down one Guado soldier in mid-jump.

"What's that?" Pierce asked as he blocked a spell from hitting him. Marek sighed.

"Remember when you were training." he said simply. Pierce thought for a moment, and after a few seconds he knew what his uncle was talking about.

"I can't control it, though." he replied. Marek shook his head.

"Always a good time to learn." he said right before dashing off into the chaos.

Kain stood back to back with Luriel, twirling his lance to keep Guado soldiers off of him. Lulu sliced one sickle upward as a Guado came running at her, stopping his charge and knocking him back. She instantly switched targets and held up her other sickle to block his strike. She curled her foot around his ankle and knocked his feet out. Right as he fell onto his back, she unhesitatingly drove it into his chest.

Shin was fighting with raw fury. He swung his broadsword with more power than he had ever used in a normal battle. Despite fighting alone due to staying near Terra, he was easily managing to keep them off him.

The rest of the group was scattered around, but Tidus was steadily making his way toward where Auron was battling Seymour. **(end Challenge)**

Auron and Seymour were glaring at each other when Tidus and Pierce made it to where they were. "Seymour!" Tidus yelled angrily, holding his Brotherhood sword ready. Seymour looked at all of them and smiled.

"Foolish mortals. Your hope ends here, and your meaningless existence with it!" he yelled as he stepped backward and twirled his staff in the air. "Feel my pain, come Anima!" he yelled. **(The Encounter, Birth by Sleep)**

The sky darkened, and suddenly a dark chain came shooting down out of the sky and slammed into the ground, its tail twirling for a few moments, but then growing tense. It slowly began to rise back up, and it pulled with it a monstrous looking creature. The creature had chains all around it and bandages covered most of its face. However, its long fangs could still be seen, along with one massive eye. Seymour smirked and watched as the three prepared to battle his Aeon.

"What do we do?!" Pierce yelled to Auron.

"Avoid its gaze." Auron told him simply. Pierce looked at him in question, but looked up to see Anima blink toward him. He gasped and rolled to the side as a laser shot down and exploded where he had just been.

"Avoid the gaze, got it!" he told Auron as he readied his Keyblade. Tidus ran forward fearlessly. Anima shot a chain out at him, but he jumped over it and kept running. When he had almost reached her, he charged with energy and dashed forward. He ran right up to her and slashed her repeatedly, finishing by jumping up and creating an explosion by driving his sword into the ground. He then jumped high up and threw his sword with all of his strength. The Brotherhood sword crashed into Anima's chest, causing the Aeon to roar in pain. Suddenly, another chain shot out and grabbed hold of the blitz ace, holding him in the air.

"Hang on, Tidus!" Pierce yelled as he jumped onto his rider and flew up toward Anima's head. He spun his rider as he passed, striking her face. But he didn't expect her to shoot a laser and hit his rider. His rider exploded underneath and sent him shooting high up into the air, far above the city.

As he began to fall back down, he tried to resummon his rider, but couldn't. "Crap, not now, c'mon!" he yelled, trying over and over again. As he continued to fall, he remembered what Marek had told him. He closed his eyes and breathed slowly, reaching within himself. "C'mon….." he muttered.

As he neared the battlefield again, he opened his eyes and felt heat envelope him. He glanced down at his hands and saw that he was covered in the holy white fire of Light. He smirked as he flipped around and landed on his feet, making a crater all around him with his landing.

Auron jumped up and impaled his sword in the ground. A minute later, a blast of energy shot up from underneath Anima, hurting her. As she roared in pain, Tidus managed to break free of the chain holding him and jumped toward her chest, pulling his sword free. A second later, he landed next to Auron and watched as Pierce stepped in front of the massive Aeon.

"This has gone on long enough." he said to her. Anima roared and sent a laser shooting at him. Light didn't even flinch as the laser soared at him. Without even moving his arms or opening his mouth, the laser hit a barrier around him, and he began to calmly walk toward her. Seymour frowned at the scene before him, and quickly moved to cast a spell at the flame encased teen, but something struck him from behind, making him stumble forward.

"Yeah, I don't think so, Seymour." Marek muttered calmly, his fist still glowing with darkness.

Light stared at Anima, who charged up with power and opened a portal underneath Light's feet. He sank inside it and found himself in a whole other dimension. In front of him was the other half of Anima, a monstrous creature completely free of chains. She roared angrily and started to punch him countless times with fists glowing with energy. Finally, she stopped striking him and roared with power as an explosion completely enveloped him. As the portal spewed its visitor back out, Light had taken the entire attack and had not flinched once. He silently dashed through the air so fast that he was only a blur.

Holding his Keyblade out, he soared right through Anima's chest and flew up into the air on the other side. **(end The Encounter)**

Anima roared in pain as she began to sink back into her own portal. Seymour stared at Pierce/Light with hunger in his eyes. "That power that defeated Anima! It will be mine!" he yelled.

"Not likely." Light told him. Auron, Tidus, and Marek all stepped toward Seymour, who smiled.

"Very well, come. Your friends have hardly any time left, anyway." he told them calmly. As Light looked toward the battle, Seymour smirked as he threw his hand forward. A sheet of ice suddenly covered Tidus, freezing him. He threw his staff behind him, hitting Marek in the face and staggering him for a minute. He then immediately charged for Auron.

He didn't expect for Light to suddenly appear in front of him and grab him by the throat. "You forget your place, _mortal._" he said, but there was no trace of Pierce's voice now.

"Pierce!" Marek yelled as he came running toward them.

The Guado army had seen what was going on, and most had stopped fighting by now. The rest of the group made their way over and stared at their leader. Light stared angrily at Seymour, who just smiled. "What will you do, precious Light? Kill me? I am already dead." he said calmly. Light just kept staring at him. Finally, he flexed his hand. A swirling vortex appeared underneath Seymour's feet, who looked down in shock. "How are you manipulating the Farplane Rift?!" he asked in shock. Light smirked at him.

"This is the realm of Light. You are in _my_ domain." he told the blue haired man simply, right before letting go. Seymour did not scream, he merely stared back at the one who had beaten him as he fell back into the afterlife, where he belonged. Light turned to the remaining Guado soldiers. "Anyone care to join him?" he asked them. One by one, they all silently turned and walked away. But Pierce didn't return to his physical form.

"Pierce? The battle's over. You can turn it off now." Ava told him. The one she had been speaking to half turned to her.

"Pierce is no longer in control." he told her. The group gasped.

"Bring him back!" Rayne yelled. Light shook his head.

"This is the boy's destiny! To serve under my command! His mortal body has sustained me, but our true purpose will soon be realized!" he told them. Marek stepped forward.

"You said that this will soon be realized. So it's not happening yet. Let the boy come back." he said calmly. Light looked at him and smirked.

"Darkness, it has been a long time." he greeted. Marek sighed.

"Darkness was defeated sixteen years ago. And Jack gave Light back to Kingdom Hearts, so explain your…existence." he replied. Light chuckled slightly and stepped away from them.

"I have always existed within the Rikkison line. Manifesting, growing in power, waiting. I was dormant even in Jason. But when Jack Rikkison was born, I knew my time had come. But alas, not everything went as planned. The wanderer had more strength of will than I had anticipated. He sent me back before I could take control and accomplish my destiny. That is all you need to know for now." he told them, staring at the sky.

"Pierce, I know you're still in there! Fight back!" Rayne yelled. Light turned around and stared at her.

"You waste your time, former X-blade! Your sibling is gone!" he told her. Suddenly, he began to struggle with himself. "No! This is not possible!" he yelled suddenly.

"Pierce!" Ava yelled, soon echoed by the others.

"Pierce!" Ven yelled. Kain, Lulu, Rayne, and Marek mirrored him. Light began to fade and disappear, and bit by bit, Pierce's original form could be seen. First his hand, then his foot, then his shoulder, until finally, with a loud yell, Light was gone. Pierce fell to his knees, breathing hard. Ava, Lulu, and Rayne quickly ran up and hugged him. Marek, Ven, and Kain stood around them, gently pulling the girls off to give him some room. Rayne was crying now, having almost lost her brother. She suddenly turned around and kissed Kain in utter happiness. The holy dragoon was taken aback by the gesture and stared at her.

She immediately stepped back, not believing what she had just done. "Ugh, just make out already and get it over with!" Marek groaned from the back. Rayne picked a broken link of chain and chucked it behind her at him.

Tidus and Auron came walking up at this point, only to see Rayne and Kain finally kiss and hold themselves together for several minutes. "Guys!" Shin suddenly yelled from across the courtyard.

"Terra!" Ven gasped as they all quickly ran over to them. Terra's breathing was very faint, almost nonexistent.

"What's her condition?" Auron asked.

"Unless anyone has access to a Curaga spell, or an elixir, she's gonna….." Rayne began, but trailed off.

"Terra…..!" Shin whispered and held her motionless face up to his and kissed her, tears streaming down his face.

"Shin…." Pierce began, walking toward him, but was ignored. Suddenly, Tidus laughed.

"What's wrong with you?!" Ava gasped as the group turned to him. He smiled.

"I managed to swipe this from Mika's holding room while I was escaping. You know, before you guys found me. And guess what I found." he told them, reaching in his pocket and pulling out a dusty elixir. "Last of its kind. Here, take it." he told Rayne, handing it over.

Shin was no longer crying and was staring at them in shock. "Shin, it might already be too late." Rayne told him as she opened Terra's mouth and poured the healing liquid down her throat. Shin nodded, and all of them stared at Terra, waiting and hoping for her to move.

When she didn't move for several minutes, any of them sighed and looked away in grief. Eventually, only Shin still sat at her side. Pierce had just began to walk up to tell him he should leave her, than she suddenly started coughing. Her eyes fluttered open, and she smiled slightly at them. "What happened?" she asked.

"TERRA!" they all yelled. She gasped in surprise as the entire group surrounded and embraced her.

"Terra…." Shin spoke. She turned to him, and smiled as they both leaned in and kissed. Rayne and Kain looked at each other and smiled. A second later, she leaned into his arms.

"What happened?" she asked again. Shin smiled.

"Don't you ever save me again." he told her, wiping the tears off his face. She smiled back at him.

LATER…..

"Are you sure you don't want to get out of this place?" Pierce offered. The rest of the group was inside the ship already, but he was outside facing Tidus and Auron. Tidus shook his head.

"She would have wanted me to rebuild this place as much as possible. I'm gonna stay and do what I can." he replied. Pierce nodded in understanding.

"And what about you?" he asked Auron. The older man shrugged his shoulders.

"Being dead has its advantages. I'll stick around until all this is taken care of." he said simply. Pierce nodded.

"Well, you know how to reach us." he told them. Both men nodded, and he walked into the ship, the ramp instantly shutting behind him.

Pierce sighed as he sat down in a seat by the window. Rayne and Kain were in the pilot seats, holding hands. He resisted the urge to make a joke and turned to Terra, who was leaning on Shin. "I'm glad you're alright, Terra. We almost lost you today." he told her. She smiled, but Marek was the one who spoke.

"We almost lost both of you today, kid. I don't care how desperate the situation gets, you never try to activate Light again, understand? If you do, there's no coming back." he told him solemnly. Pierce nodded and turned to look out the window.

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL CHAMBER…

"Where are Vasey and Mika?!" thundered Lorans. Braig shrugged his shoulders, but Xehanort cleared his throat.

"Mika has been eliminated. He tried to bring back the renegade Seymour, and both met their doom at the hands of the LE brats." he said calmly. Lorans yelled in fury and slammed his fist down on the table, splitting it in two. Both men stared at him calmly.

"Vasey is also dead." said a voice. The three of them turned to see Gisborne walking into the room. The man in black leather smirked as he sat down in the sheriff's old seat. "He has died by my hand. I'm taking his place now." he told them simply.

While Xehanort and Braig stared at him in shock, Lorans chuckled darkly. He leaned in to speak to Gisborne one on one. "Tell me all about it." he said. Gisborne smiled.

TO BE CONTINUED….

**Well, I hope it was long enough and up to standards and everything. See ya later guys. **


	40. Ch 40: Return to Nottingham

**Heya, everyone! I'm in a weird mood. I'm happy because they finally gave us a trailer for KH3, but I'm not happy that I'm most likely gonna have to dish out 400 bucks for the PS4. Anyway, shout outs:**

**Gohan Roxas: Yes it was. That's what a lot of this chapter will cover. **

**The Unknowing Herald: A lot of people found Light's role in RTDoD very confusing, so I'm gonna elaborate on him in this story. Thanks! Hey, I did not! I had that planned from the beginning, lol! When isn't he? It is, but…..I'll just stop there. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, thanks. Lol, basically Light just covers his host in white fire, and only the silhouette of the actual person can be seen, but his eyes are a glowing white. Ha, well Celeron's had a few guesses. You won't find out until between chapter 55-60, though! **

**13TheAce: Light is a being all his own, yes. Lol, well still a ways to go on that one. **

**Light: TEL, I'm guessing? He's seen this chapter, don't worry. He's been recovering from the butt-kicking Pierce gave him. Have fun on your vacation!**

**Celeron96: Past time, lol. I'm not giving any hints, lol. **

**Alright, so I own anything to do with the Rikkisons, Lorans, and Soriah. TEL owns Griffin, AW owns Ava, Celeron owns Lulu. I think that's everyone…..just kidding, lol! Herald owns Shin! **

Chapter 40: Return to Nottingham

ONE WEEK EARLIER….

Just outside of Nottingham's city borders, Gisborne was kneeling in a luxurious tent. He slowly looked up as the man sitting on the throne in front of him spoke. "Do you love me, Gisborne?" the man asked. Gisborne looked up at him.

"Of course, sire." he replied. Prince John sighed as he leaned back.

"The sheriff does not love me. All I have asked of him was Robin Hood's head on a spike. I do not have it, ergo he does not love me." he said sadly. He looked back at Gisborne.

"The sheriff….I want him dead, Gisborne. Dead." he whispered the last word. Gisborne stared at him for several moments, and slowly nodded.

"Yes, sire." he said. Prince John smiled and waved him away. Gisborne silently got up and walked out.

6 DAYS LATER…

Gisborne calmly walked through the castle hallways, looking for Vasey. What he didn't expect was for the sheriff to appear ahead of him around a corner. "Gisborne….." he began, but wasn't quick enough as the leather-clad man drew his sword and tried to bring it down upon the smaller man.

Vasey's eyes went wide, but he managed to side step it and pulled a sword off of the wall. "You were like a son to me!" he yelled as he fought back. Gisborne was silent as he steadily pushed the sheriff backward.

Eventually, they ended up on top of the castle walls, dueling next to the edge. The fight came to an end when Vasey managed to knock him off the edge. Vasey smirked and stared at Gisborne as he held on by one arm. "You did view me as a father once. But now, you must die." he said as he raised his sword.

At that moment, Gisborne managed to unsheathe his dagger and drive it into the sheriff's chest. Vasey dropped his sword in surprise as Gisborne climbed back onto the wall. He looked over to see the sheriff slide down the wall, breathing raspily. "Gisborne…..don't trust him…." he muttered. Gisborne looked at him and swallowed hard. "Nothing…..is as it seems." Vasey finished. Gisborne watched as the smaller man suddenly stopped moving. He sighed as he calmly touched the other man's chest, looking for a heartbeat, finding none.

PRESENT TIME…..

"Well welcome to the ever dwindling Council, Gisborne. Care to take a bet on who'll go next, you or him?" Lorans laughed, pointing at Xehanort. The old man smirked and summoned his Keyblade.

"I like my chances….." he said out loud. A minute later, Braig walked in with Griffin at his side.

"Ah, so this is your new dogs body, Braig? Yes, I remember you. You are a Keyblader." Lorans said, turning to them. Braig smirked and stepped aside so the supreme councilor could get a good look at Griffin in his new costume. "You gave him a black outfit. Not predictable at all." Lorans muttered. Griffin knelt down and bowed his head.

"My lord, I am yours to command." he said calmly. Lorans smirked and stared at him.

"What drove you to turn against your friends?" he asked him. Griffin stood up and looked at him.

"They side with those who wanted my father killed. But, I wish to live, as well. So I am yours." he said simply. Lorans smirked and nodded.

"Good. Gisborne, take him to Nottingham with you. Let him taste of our cause. I have seen the future, and within two weeks, the fugitives will attack our base. All of our allies must be ready for that attack, for I will not be participating." he said as he stood up. Gisborne nodded and stood up.

"C'mon, runt." he said to Griffin. The red head turned his golden eyes to Braig questioningly, who nodded. He then walked up to Gisborne, and both walked through a portal leading back to Nottingham castle.

"I have a question, Lorans." Xehanort spoke up after they left. By now, it was only the three of them in the room.

"Which is?" the supreme councilor asked as he sat on his throne, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"Your identity. How is it possible that you are…._him_?" he asked. Braig looked over curiously. Lorans smiled.

"Come, I have something to show you." he told them, standing up and walking through a side door. The two followed silently into the holding room.

LANES BETWEEN…..

"So tell me, where is Griffin?" Ava asked Pierce suddenly. With that one question, the air inside the ship grew very tense. All the casual talk and laughter ceased almost immediately. Pierce looked at her, and calmly cleared his throat.

"Ava, I don't really know how to tell you this. Griffin…..abandoned us back in Spira. He's gone." he told her slowly. She gasped in horror as her hand flew over her mouth.

"Where is he? I'm sure if I talked to him…." she began, but Pierce shook his head.

"Ava, it's too late. He's with Braig now." he told her, already knowing her reaction. She shook her head as tears began to roll down her face.

"How could he? He lived with me and Eraqus for years! How could he betray us now!?" she gasped. Pierce shrugged his shoulders as she sat down next to him and leaned into his chest. After a few moments of surprise, he slowly put his arm around her and held her.

From the back of the ship, Lulu saw the scene and turned around, walking out of the cockpit. "Where to, Pierce?" Rayne suddenly asked. He sighed as he looked around the ship.

"Kinda busy right now, sis." he told her. She glanced around and smiled slightly.

"We're getting a distress beacon from Nottingham. And one from Baron, but Cecil says it's not urgent." Ven spoke up, looking at the screen.

"Nottingham, then." Rayne said. Marek sighed as he stood up from the table and walked over to Terra, who was holding Soriah and leaning on Shin.

"Let me take him for a bit." he offered. She smiled at him and handed the baby over. Marek smiled back at her and took him, but not without noticing Shin's glare, still holding suspicion in his eyes. He walked back to his seat and looked down at Soriah. "Yeah, you remember me, don't ya?" he said. Soriah smiled and giggled at him. Marek nodded. "Yeah, I thought so." he said, tossing him up into the air.

"Marek!" Terra yelled suddenly in shock. Said man reached up and caught Soriah before looking at her.

"Yeah?" he asked calmly. She raised her eyebrow in surprise, seeing Soriah happy and giggling. "He likes it, trust me." Marek told her, throwing him up again. This time she heard the baby squeal with delight.

"We're pulling in to Nottingham's atmosphere now." Rayne told them. Everyone nodded and took their seats. Lulu walked back in silently and sat down in a seat, as well.

NOTTINGHAM CASTLE…

"Gisborne, thank you for ridding me of the sheriff, but now you've killed a man of the state. I'm afraid I can't let you leave this place a free man." Prince John said as he sat in Vasey's seat. Gisborne and Griffin stared at him.

"My lord, you can't be serious!" Gisborne burst out. Prince John smiled.

"Guards, arrest them!" he yelled. Gisborne and Griffin drew their weapons, but right after Griffin started attacking, Gisborne managed to sneak out and run. Prince John smirked as he watched Griffin effortlessly cut through all of his men. A second later, the former hero ran up and slammed him against the wall, holding his darkness imbued Keyblade at his throat.

"I should kill you, but that would be a release. No, you've attacked a Council member. Lorans will know of your treachery." he said angrily. Prince John stared at him, and for the first time he showed fear. Griffin smiled back at him as he backed into a dark portal.

ROBIN'S CAMP…..

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Pierce called out. They were in the general area where they knew the hidden camp to be, but they did know the exact location.

"Talk about punctual!" called out a voice. The first one they saw was Will. He walked out from behind a tree and walked toward them. "Perfect timing. Prince John's in Nottingham, and Robin wants to finish him once and for all." he told them, walking over to the stone wall and pulling on a hidden lever.

The hill in front of them suddenly opened up, revealing their camp built into the mound. Most of the gang was sitting inside. "Where's Robin?" Will asked them as the group walked inside.

"He's chasing Gisborne through the woods. Only problem is we don't know where." Much told them, nervously cooking a stew over their fire.

ELSEWHERE IN THE WOODS…..

Robin was in the middle of a fist fight with Gisborne. "You killed Marian!" he screamed angrily, punching him in the face. Gisborne took the hit, but kept his feet.

"She should have been mine!" he yelled back.

"She was my wife!" Robin roared as he continued punching him. Suddenly both of them were hit with something and fell to the ground.

Later on, they both woke at the same time, tied to separate trees, a fresh campfire in between them. Suddenly, a hooded figure approached them and sat down by the fire. "There is bad blood that binds the two of you together." he said calmly, his voice sounding wounded and weak.

"Yeah, well maybe there are good reasons for that bad blood." Gisborne seethed, glaring at both of them. Robin just laughed quietly. The figure shook his head.

"You must forget your differences…..so that you may unite. Your success is crucial, to save a life." he told them.

"To save whose life?" Robin asked him in a disbelieving way. The figure glanced at him, still hiding his face.

"Your brother, the one you both share. It's time you both knew the truth." he told them simply.

**Alright, I know it was just a set up chapter, but I hope it wasn't terrible or boring. One of my shortest chapters, but again I hope it wasn't too bad. Well, I hope you guys liked it, and I hope you're looking forward to the next two chapters(both in Nottingham!) Only five more chapters left in Part 2! Can you believe that?!Anyway, see ya later guys. **


	41. Ch 41: Archer

**Hey, everyone! Hope everything's going good. Shout outs: **

**Gohan Roxas: Lol, yeah sorry.**

**The Unknowing Herald: In the show, Gisborne doesn't talk at all while they're fighting. I stayed true to that. He's just weird like that. Lol, thanks!**

**Shadowdragon1317: He stated why, lol. He wants to live, and he doesn't want to protect the people who cheered on Lorans as he killed the heroes. Lol I hope it was soon enough! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: There'll be 70 chapters and 4 Parts. Part 3 is gonna go to chapter 60. Thanks! **

**Lucenthia: Lol, well I hope I don't disappoint. **

**13TheAce: Yeah, just a little, lol. They share a brother, yes. Yes, that is the Master Keeper, which has been used by Aqua since everything went down at the end of BBS…..**

**Celeron96: Thanks! Yep! Well, if you think so, lol. Well, yeah, I guess. We better not have to wait another 2 or 3 years for it though, considering it's been development since 2010. **

**TEL: Lol, I figured.**

**Alright, guys. You know who all owns what. I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 41: Archer

"What are you talking about, old man?" Gisborne asked as the man walked up and cut both of their ropes. Both he and Robin stood up warily and stared at the man.

"There's no way we possibly share a brother." Robin agreed. The man shook his head.

"Neither of you were told, for good reason." he told them. He then turned to Gisborne. "You remember your parents, and what happened to them?" he asked. Gisborne swallowed and slowly nodded.

"My leper father was killed in the same house fire as my mother." he said quietly. The man nodded.

"But your mother had an affair….." he began.

"No." Robin said, shaking his head.

"With Robin's father." the man finished.

"My father would never…!" Robin yelled angrily. The man sighed.

"But it is the truth. Together, they had a son. He was born with a birthmark in the shape of an arrowhead." he told them.

"Assuming I believe you, what do you want from us?" Gisborne asked him, crossing his arms. The man sighed again.

"It's taken me many years to find him. He is in York jail, awaiting execution. Together, you must save him. Your mother named him Archer, after his birthmark." he explained. Gisborne looked away, thinking hard. A second later, he launched himself at Robin, trying to choke him. "Will that really solve anything?" the man asked him. Gisborne glared at Robin as he managed to get his hand around his throat.

"Since his father's dead, I'll take out my mother's betrayal on him!" he yelled.

"No….he isn't." the man whispered. At that, both men got off of each other and stared at him. Robin shook his head as he walked up to him.

"My father….would NEVER have left me alone!" he yelled. Ever so slowly, the man reached up and pulled back his hood. Robin sighed and shook his head. "No…" he whispered. Indeed, Robin's father stood before him, Malcolm Locksley.

"I am sorry, Robin. How could I continue to raise you, after my affair, after everything I taught you about honor?" he told his son. Robin shook his head and backed away from him. "Your brother's life depends on you." Malcolm pushed. Robin sighed.

"I won't let him die, father." he promised. Malcolm smiled.

"Save him. I am dying, Robin. I'm too weak to help. It's up to both of you." he told him. "Forgive me." he said suddenly. Robin looked at him in question, but suddenly a dart hit his neck, and he immediately felt himself going to sleep.

Gisborne looked up as Malcolm turned to him. "I really have no desire to see you again…." he began, but the old man shot one at him and knocked him out, before disappearing into the forest.

LATER…

It was with wariness and suspicion that Robin led Gisborne back to the camp. Now with Gisborne, his gang, and Pierce's whole group, they had a sizable force. "Gisborne and I are going to York to free our brother." Robin began.

"Gisborne?!" John burst out.

"Listen, John…." Robin began, but the bigger man cut him off.

"We can't trust him! He served the sheriff for how many years?!" he argued. Gisborne smirked.

"And if it wasn't for me you'd still be living under his rule." he told them. Every head in the camp turned to him.

"You killed the sheriff?!" Robin gasped. Gisborne smirked and nodded.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. Gisborne is a Council member now. If he's with us now, then that's one less ally Lorans has now." Pierce put in. Djaq, Will, and Much were silent as the rest of them continued to argue about Gisborne. Suddenly, Allan came running in to the camp.

"Guys, Prince John's alone at the castle! He's just sent his armies out toward the coast. The king is on his way home!" he told them. The group turned to Pierce and Robin, the two designated leaders.

"If you and Guy are gonna head to York, you could take a few people with you just for back up, just in case. Then I could take who's left and attack the castle. We could take Prince John captive and hold the city until the king gets here." Pierce proposed. Robin thought about that idea for several moments.

"Right, that sounds like a plan." he agreed. He turned to Gisborne and nodded. The other man went to prepare their horses. "I wouldn't mind taking two of your people, along with Much and John." he said to Pierce. He nodded and turned to his group.

"Anyone wanna go to York?" he asked them, smiling slightly.

"I'll go." Kain volunteered, stepping forward.

"I'll go too." Rayne quickly said. Pierce rolled his eyes and smiled as he looked at everyone else.

"Alright, well get everyone ready to siege the castle!" he told who was left.

LATER THAT DAY, YORK…..

"Just wait for us near the city walls. If we need you, you'll be close enough to come help us. But your armor is kinda conspicuous." Robin told Kain and Rayne. Kain shrugged his shoulders, but agreed.

"I stay here." Little John said, glaring at Gisborne. Robin nodded in understanding and began to walk away with Much and Guy.

They walked into a tavern after seeing guards everywhere around the castle. "There's no way inside." Guy said. Much sipped from his cup nervously, while Robin smiled.

"One of us has to get arrested." he said, looking at Gisborne. Guy looked back at him and laughed quietly.

"Have fun with that." he said simply.

"I'll do it." Much spoke up nervously. Robin shook his head.

"Archer needs to see one of his brothers first. Fine, I'll do it." he said. Guy and Much stood up and backed away as Robin picked up his cup and threw it at the back of a nearby guard's head. But, he quickly sat back down.

Guy smirked and started walking to the door, right next to the guard. The man turned around and looked right at him. "You think that's funny, do you?! Arrest him!" he yelled. Guy stopped smiling and looked at him in shock.

"What!" he yelled as more guards came and grabbed him. "Hey!" he yelled. Robin and Much sniggered from the corner as the guards led Gisborne outside and toward the castle.

MEANWHILE…..

"Alright, this is what we're going to do. Ava, Lulu, and Terra, I want you at the main gate. Do your worst and get the remaining soldiers' attention. Ven, Shin, Allan, and Djaq, you'll be on both sides of the gates. As soon as the soldiers come outside, Allan and Djaq will go right in behind them and shut them out of the city. Shin and Ven will be behind the guards and the five of you will take them out. By that time, Will, Marek, and I will already be inside the castle. As soon as your jobs are done, we'll regroup in the throne room. Hopefully, by that time Robin and the others will be back." Pierce laid out the plans to all of them. "Any questions?" he asked them.

"Let's get this done." Ava said. Everyone nodded in agreement. Pierce smiled at them.

"Well, alright then." he said.

YORK JAIL…..

"Alright, get on in there!" the guard yelled as he threw Guy into the cell. He was surrounded by at least a dozen men, and he had no clue which one was his brother. He sighed as he sat down against the wall next to an old man.

"What are you in for, laddie?" he asked him. Guy turned to him.

"I'm here to find Archer. I came with Robin Hood, and I'm going to get him out. He's my brother." he whispered. The old man's face brightened comically.

"Brother…" he whispered, smiling. Guy rolled his eyes.

"You are not my brother." he told him. The old man smiled.

"Prison changes a man." he persisted. Guy sighed and leaned against the wall.

"I'm Archer." a voice suddenly whispered. He stood up and looked to his right, where the voice had come from. A man stepped out of the shadows. He had dark colored hair, and had a little facial hair, but other than that he was clean shaven. Guy looked at him and smiled.

"Then you are my brother. I've come to get you out of here." he told him.

Meanwhile, Robin had knocked a noble unconscious in his own home and had stolen a good bit of money, along with a nice fur coat. He walked into the sheriff of York's chamber, with guards flanking him, of course. "Can I help you?" the sheriff asked him, a short, round man. Robin smiled and sighed sadly.

"Well, I've just come to respectfully request that you overlook my dear friend Gisborne's behavior earlier today and release him." he said calmly. The sheriff raised his eyebrows.

"An assault on the sheriff's men is an assault on the sheriff himself." he said simply, staring at Robin. Robin nodded.

"I understand." he said, pulling out the coin bag he had stolen and putting two dozen gold coins on the table. "Would this be enough to make amends for his misdeed? You see, he's an alright fellow, he just had a little too much to drink." he asked the other man. The sheriff looked down at the coins and smiled.

He nodded. "It is but a distant memory now, sir." he told him, satisfied. He turned to the guard behind him. "Take the kind sir down to the dungeon to collect his malfeasant friend." he told him. Robin smiled and stood up.

"Thank you for your understanding, sheriff." he told him, following the guard out of the room.

NOTTINGHAM GATES…..

"You wanna do the honors?" Lulu asked Ava as she drew her sickles. Ava shook her head as she summoned her Keyblade.

"You're the one with the big mouth. I'll let you." she replied. Terra smiled from Lulu's other side, holding her demonic broadsword ready. Lulu smirked as she took in a deep breath.

"HEY PRINCE JOHN, ROBIN HOOD SENDS HIS REGARDS! WE'RE HERE TO TAKE YOU PRISONER AND FEED YOU TO YOUR BROTHER KING RICHARD'S DOGS!" she screamed. From next to the gates, Allan, Djaq, Ven, and Shin laughed quietly at her outspokenness. But it worked, within seconds, what must have been all the guards left in the city came rushing out of the gates.

**Two more chapters in Nottingham! I hope you're at least somewhat interested in how this world is going to end! Again, only four more chapters until we reach Part 3! If you guys hated me before, then be prepared to hate me again! ;)**


	42. Ch 42: Brothers in Arms

**Hey, everyone! Not as big a turn out of reviews as usual, but I'm not gonna complain. Shout outs: **

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, thanks, but it was Lulu. I will, lol. **

**Celeron96: Lol, yeah you'll see him this chapter. I was aiming for a little comedy between the two girls. They're not as violent toward one another, but they're still a long way from becoming friends. **

**TWI1IGHTAST3R: Be afraid, be very afraid! Lol, if you have Netflix you should check it out. Lol…..nope! You'll find out right at the end of Part 3! That'll make the reveal even more awesome!**

**Lucenthia: Lol, no promises there! Thanks!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Well if you liked everything then I did good, right? Lol. **

**Bezerker21: Lol, well you'll just have to keep reading, won't you? Lol, well don't completely copy me! **

**Okay, so was anyone else utterly laughing their head off when Sony just blew Microsoft out of the water at E3? I was having an amazing time, lol! Anyway, yeah I own Lorans, Soriah, Light, Pierce, Rayne, Marek, and any mentions of Jack, Mist, and Jason. Holy crap, I've got a truckload now. TEL owns Griffin, AW owns Ava, Celie(lol love ya man!) owns Luriel, and Herald owns Shin. **

**I hope you enjoy the chapter, along with the twist at the end! **

Chapter 42: Brothers in Arms

No sooner had Prince John's soldiers finished coming out of the gates then Allan and Djaq ran inside and shut the soldiers out. Many of the men at the rear of the army turned around after hearing the gates shut, only to find Shin and Ven blocking their retreat. "Now!" Ven yelled, raising his Keyblade and charging.

Ava, Lulu, and Terra charged from the front, all swinging their weapons. These soldiers had no special powers or abilities, so they proved little competition for such seasoned fighters as the group. Terra and Shin passed each other in the battle and found a moment of leisure. He stopped and noticed her sword completely decimating any around her, and smirked. "Ever think about naming it?" he asked her. She cut down a soldier in front of her and turned to him.

"I don't know. Have you?" she asked, smiling. He whirled around cut down a charging soldier with one vertical slice.

"Yeah. I call mine Lightbringer. It guides me through battle like a lighthouse guiding a ship through a storm." he told her. She stopped and glanced at him.

"Shin, that actually sounded….wise." she told him, smiling. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I know some wisdom." he replied. He looked at her blade again. "Why don't you name it Apocalypse? You're these guys' doomsday." he told her. She looked at her blade, and looked at the bodies around her. She looked back up and shrugged her shoulders. They both turned and resumed fighting.

YORK…..

"Robin, he's over here." Guy said as the guard led Robin into the cell.

"Right, we need to hurry. I saw company coming on my way in." he replied, walking over to the man that Guy had pointed to. He walked up and looked at the man. He smiled as he reached up and put a hand on his shoulder. "Brother." he greeted. Archer smiled.

"All of a sudden, I have so many brothers." he muttered. Robin smiled. He motioned to Gisborne, and together they walked over to the guard. Together, they punched him in the face and knocked him out.

"Shall we?" Guy said, turning to Archer, who smiled and quickly ran out of the cell. Robin took the guard's keys and tossed them to the prisoners before running out.

They didn't make it far before they ran into a group of guards.

MEANWHILE, SHERIFF OF YORK'S CHAMBER…

"We've heard word that Guy of Gisborne is in your city. As an ally of Lorans, he is offered full protection, and we will raze the city to ensure that. Unless of course, you can give him to us." Braig said calmly, leaning back in his chair and propping his boots up on the sheriff's table. The sheriff wrinkled his nose in disgust, but didn't dare say a word. But one word did echo in his mind.

"Gisborne…..Gisborne…." he muttered. He remembered, and looked at the man sitting across from him.

"He was in my dungeon, but a man came in a few minutes ago for his release." he said. Braig grunted and motioned to the boy behind him. Griffin quickly stepped up close to him.

"Go find him. If Robin Hood is here, take care of him. Same goes for your old friends." he ordered. Griffin nodded silently and walked out. Braig sighed as he switched feet and stared at the sheriff. "I hope, for your sake, that Gisborne hasn't been harmed in any way. Otherwise, it would be very nasty business." he said casually, picking up his cup of wine and taking a sip.

NOTTINGHAM, CASTLE…

"Will, where are we?" Pierce whispered as the three of them made their way through the castle. Will sighed and looked around.

"They've blocked all of the paths to the throne room. I don't know how to get in now." he said, shaking his head in anger. Marek sighed and summoned a portal.

"Shall we?" he said, gesturing toward it. Will turned around and stared at it in complete shock. "I know this castle just as well as Robin. I can get us in there in a matter of seconds." he told him. Pierce smirked and shook his head as he stepped toward the portal.

"You….you could have done that this whole time?" Will asked him quietly. Marek smiled. "Why didn't you?" Will asked him.

"I figured I'd at least give you a shot. No love lost, kid." Marek told him, waving him toward the portal.

THRONE ROOM…..

It would be an understatement to say that Prince John lost his composure as the three of them stepped through their portal. "How….how….?!" the prince muttered in utter disbelief. Pierce smirked as he stepped forward and punched him in the face, knocking him out cold. The three of them quickly turned around and started dismantling the barricades blocking the door. As soon as they had done that, the other five came walking in, barely out of breath.

"Easier than I thought it would be." Lulu muttered, tossing a sickle in the air and catching it again, before putting them both in their sheaths on her back.

"I just hope the others had as much success." Pierce told her.

YORK….

It wasn't that hard to fight through the guards. Between Robin, Guy, and Archer, they were all very well trained swordsmen, despite Archer being self-taught. But as more and more guards began to pour in from all directions, the group found themselves driven toward the great hall.

As the three of them ran inside, they skidded to a stop. At the front of the room was the sheriff of York, with Braig standing to his side. Both smirked evilly as the three brothers formed a circle. Robin turned to look back they had come, only to find Griffin standing in front of the door. Several dozen guards came marching in and lined up along the walls. "Gisborne, I'm pleased to see you're unscathed. Step aside so we can kill the traitor and his friend." Braig said.

"He's not my friend." Robin spat at Braig. Archer smiled.

"I'm his brother. Guy's too." he said, drawing his twin swords. Braig just smiled even wider, his yellow eye glaring with anticipation.

"It's your choice, Gisborne. Live an ally of Lorans, or die with your brothers." he said, crossing his arms calmly. Gisborne looked at the floor, and ever so slowly began to lower his sword.

"Gisborne." Robin said calmly. Guy looked back up and pointed his sword at Braig, who just sighed and shook his head.

"Don't start the party yet! I haven't had a chance to sing my song yet!" yelled Much as he came running in through the door at the top of the stairs above Griffin.

"Much, shut up!" yelled John irritably as he ran in, flanked by Rayne and Kain.

"Braig!" Rayne yelled angrily. Braig chuckled quietly and drew his arrowguns.

"Now it's a party….." he muttered. **(The 13****th**** Struggle, Kingdom Hearts 2)**

"Get him!" Rayne yelled as she jumped off the railing and flew through the air toward Braig, but the man teleported right before she reached him. She quickly flipped around in mid-air, hitting the wall with her feet. Pushing off, she back-flipped and landed on the ground, quickly engaging several guards.

The three brothers stayed in the circle they had formed, fending off any attackers. But when Griffin began to run toward Robin, they began to back away. Just as Griffin was getting close to them, Kain landed in the way, holding his lance out at the boy, his face emotionless. Griffin glared at him and threw his Keyblade up. It changed into a corrupted black dragon that roared angrily at the holy dragoon. Kain stared at it, showing no fear. Griffin smirked as he drew his dagger and ran around them, heading for Robin.

Little John swung his staff and knocked three guards off their feet while Much ran to help the brothers. Braig teleported up to the ceiling of the room, but quickly grew irritated as Rayne continued to give chase.

The sheriff of York ran in terror as Kain flew onto the table by the throne and crashed to the ground. He quickly stood back up and leaped high into the air. He managed to hit Braig in the back and knock him off of his perch, and he flew over the dragon's back and soared downward, plunging his lance straight through its back. Darkness shot everywhere as the dragon exploded. Griffin growled angrily as he summoned his Keyblade to his hand and tried to combat Kain.

Rayne threw her Keyblade at Braig, but he teleported away before it reached him. She quickly looked around, trying to determine where he would most likely appear next. She smiled as she saw the vacant landing on top of the stairs. She raised her hand, the gem on her mother's gauntlet glowing bright blue.

Just as Braig appeared, her blizzard spell hit the area, and he barely had time to hold up his hands in surprise as he fell through the railing and landed on the floor, frozen solid.

Kain knocked Griffin backward off of his feet, who had stopped to look at his frozen master. By now, Robin, Guy, Much, Archer, and John had beaten the rest of the guards. **(end The 13****th**** Struggle)**

As Griffin got back to his feet, he found all seven of them in a line facing him. Kain stared at him as the boy looked at them, not knowing what to do. "Go on. Tend to your master, and lick your wounds. Tell Lorans that as long as our group still stands, the worlds shall never be his." he told the red head calmly. Griffin glared at him and stepped toward the frozen Braig.

"You know nothing. I know more of his plans than any of you idiots could have ever figured out. He doesn't want the worlds! Don't you get it yet? Why else would he let you waltz in and kill off his allies? He doesn't want the worlds. The only thing he wants is the Rikkisons and Keybladers exterminated!" he yelled, smiling angrily. Rayne shook her head.

"You do know that he's going to kill you too then, right?" she told him evenly. He shook his head, but looked at the floor.

"I'm Braig's man now. Lorans will see that, and spare me. You are all going to die." he told her simply, walking to Braig and paying them no more attention.

"Let's get out of here." Robin told them, leading the way out of the castle.

NOTTINGHAM, THRONE ROOM…

"Everyone, this is my brother, Archer." Robin introduced. Everyone applauded to Archer, who just smiled and nodded.

"Robin, get to the front gates now!" Allan yelled as he, Ven, Djaq, and Ava came running into the room. Robin nodded and ran outside. Pierce turned to the group.

"Lulu, Rayne, Shin, Terra, and Will, stay here and start setting barricades. Ven, Djaq, John, and Ava, go down to the basement and see if you can find anything we can use for battle." he told them. They all nodded and ran to do as they were told. Pierce turned and ran out the door after Robin, quickly followed by Kain, Marek, Guy, and Allan.

FRONT GATES…..

"Oh no….." Robin muttered. He stood at the front of the group, Pierce to his right and Guy to his left. Marek, Allan, Archer, and Kain stood behind them, scattered.

Out in the field right in front of the city, a massive army had gathered. And they were led by none other than…..

"Gisborne, we will have our reckoning!" yelled a voice across the field. It was a voice that they all recognized. A single horse began to calmly make its way up to them, and sitting astride it was Vasey, looking very alive and healthy.

"I killed you…." Guy said in disbelief. Vasey smirked and touched his chest.

"Very nasty wound, but did you check? A clue, no!" he said happily. Robin glared at him. "As I said, we will have our reckoning, but for now….." he said, turning to Robin. "I want my town back!" he said happily. Robin half smiled and shook his head.

"I don't trust you, Vasey. There will be no deal made here." he told him simply. The former sheriff sighed.

"Pity." he said simply. He turned his horse around and began to ride away. "You have until dawn to change your mind. Then my men and I attack, and kill you all." he told them without turning around. Despite the sheriff's words, his troops began to mobilize.

"Get behind the walls!" Marek yelled at them. Allan and Kain were the first ones back inside.

"Man the battlements!" Guy yelled as he, Robin, Archer, and Pierce ran inside and shut the gates behind them.

TO BE CONTINUED…..

**Not much to say about this chapter, except that I hope the fight was alright, and I hope you're at least kind of on the edge of your seat waiting to find out how this world will end! Yes, Gohan, I changed Archer's character a little bit to make him not as selfish. Since Isabella's not in here, he wouldn't have betrayed them anyway. **

**Alright, well I have to say this here because it's my favorite line in the entire show. Archer rides off instead of joining the group, and no one's paying attention. But suddenly, Guy looks over and says…..**

"**He stole my horse….." LOL! Alright sorry for the randomness. Later people! **


	43. Ch 43: The Siege of Nottingham

**Hey, guys! I'm glad you all seemed to enjoy the chapter! Shout outs: **

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, yeah. Probably not, no, lol. Two chapters now!**

**Gohan Roxas: Lol, yep!**

**TEL: Lol, sounds good!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Thanks, and yep! Lol, it's gonna get much worse. **

**13TheAce: Yep! Lol, well now you know where he stands, lol. Yeah, of course.**

**Shadowdragon1317: Lol, thanks! Thanks so much! **

**Celeron96: In the show, he returns for the two part series finale and kills most of the main cast, actually. Lol, I was kidding, man. **

**AngelicWinds: He's chosen his side, plus Braig's brainwashing him at the same time. You're fine, I'm glad you're back. **

**Lucenthia: Lol, it was just showing how powerful Rayne is magic-wise. Marek's one of those guys who knows a lot more than everyone else, but he's not gonna say anything until they figure it out for themselves. **

**Alright, well you know who owns what, at least I hope so! Enjoy the final chapter of the Robin Hood world!**

Chapter 43: The Siege of Nottingham

"You forget, Vasey, that we have Keybladers on our side! Your men don't stand a chance!" Robin yelled from the castle walls. From across the field, Vasey smirked.

"Did you think I walked away from the Council empty handed?! I am more powerful than you can ever dream of!" he yelled back. He raised his hand, and his soldiers instantly turned into creatures that were completely foreign to Pierce, who was standing just behind Robin. Marek and Ven knew them very well, however, as did Rayne.

"What are those things?" he asked, turning to them. Ven sighed and said a name that meant nothing to Pierce.

"_Heartless." _Pierce looked back out across the plain and saw the black creatures swarming around Vasey. Despite many of his troops having become these creatures, he still had a good number of normal soldiers.

"Attack!" he yelled, and his Heartless and soldiers charged toward the gates.

"Those gates will only keep the soldiers out. Those Heartless will just climb the walls in seconds." Marek told Robin. Robin nodded and turned to everyone.

"My gang, fall back to the castle!" he yelled. Will, Much, Allan, John, Djaq, Guy, and Archer nodded and ran back down the street. Pierce looked at his group.

"Rayne, Terra, light 'em up. Give us time to set up barricades. The soldiers aren't the problem, it's these creatures. Shin, Ven, you two cut down any that get past them. Kain, Marek, Ava, Lulu, you're with me." he told them. Everyone nodded, and took their positions. Pierce, Robin, and the four with them ran down the street toward the castle gates.

Rayne and Terra stood several feet apart, facing the gates. Ven and Shin were spread out on either side of them, cutting down any Heartless that braved the walls.

It was only a matter of seconds before the gates exploded, and the legion of darkness poured in through the opening. Rayne held up her Keyblade, and Terra raised Apocalypse. From Rayne's Keyblade shot a broad bolt of lightning that stopped many Heartless in their tracks. A wide wave of fire came out of the end of Terra's sword, incinerating many more.

The two spells met, and created a chaotic windstorm that stalled them for several moments. Ven and Shin were slowly being pushed backward, and Rayne managed to glance at them for a moment. "Get out! Go!" she yelled, keeping both hands on her blade. The two nodded, and swiftly ran back down the street.

Vasey calmly rode toward the gates, still on his horse. "You like my new puppets?! A gift from old man Xehanort!" he yelled to them. Rayne and Terra slowly began to back up as the army of Heartless began to push through their combined spell. Terra looked over the Heartless and saw Vasey's men lined up right behind them.

"We have to go, now!" she yelled to Rayne. Rayne nodded.

"Break the spell on three! One…..two….three!" she yelled, drawing her Keyblade back. Terra did the same thing simultaneously, and the windstorm ceased with a decent-sized explosion. Although they had destroyed a large amount of Heartless, there was still an immeasurable amount left as the two women ran in through the castle gates.

Robin quickly shut the portcullis behind them, and Pierce, Kain, Marek, Ava, and Lulu were in a line on top of the wall, ready to take out the Heartless attacking from up top. But just before the Heartless and soldiers reached the gate, they stopped. The soldiers parted, and Vasey walked through them and up to the gate, no longer on his horse. "I want my castle back, Hood. Surrender peacefully, and I may let some of you walk away." he told Robin, who was on the other side of the portcullis. Robin smiled and shook his head.

"You see, I don't trust you, Vasey. Do you expect me to believe that you're going to let my gang and Pierce's whole group walk out of here?" he asked. Vasey smiled.

"Oh no, you see they're going to Lorans. And I might even let you live, Hood. After all, I do enjoy our little get-togethers from time to time." he replied, smiling evilly.

"This ends here, old man. Be sure of that." Robin told him, readying his bow. Vasey sighed, and turned around, walking back through his army. **(Track 7 Rescue, Robin Hood BBC)**

"Kill the outlaws. Capture the Keybladers and their companions." he told his army calmly. The Heartless and soldiers immediately began running at the gate.

"Defensive positions!" Robin yelled as the Heartless scaled the walls and began to attack the portcullis from the ground. He raised his bow and began firing arrows into the army.

On top of the wall, Pierce, Kain, Marek, Ava, and Lulu kept the Heartless from scaling the walls. From the ground, Rayne, Terra, and Ven cast spells through the gate. Shin tried to cast a blizzard spell, but it died out before leaving his hand. He cursed and held up his sword, waiting eagerly for them to break in. Robin's gang had picked up their own bows and was adding their arrows to the mix.

Despite everyone doing their best, after a few minutes, the Heartless broke through the gate and began pushing into the courtyard. "Robin, pull your men back! We'll cover you!" Pierce yelled to him from the wall. Robin nodded and turned to his seven men(and Djaq).

"Pull back into the castle!" he yelled to them. They continued firing arrows, but steadily moved back into the castle. Robin turned to make sure Much made it inside, but left his back open and one of Vasey's soldiers came running at him.

"Robin!" Pierce yelled, seeing the danger. He leaped off the wall, flipped several times, and landed on the ground, impaling the man from above. Robin turned around, and seeing what had happened, nodded at him in appreciation. "Marek, get them out of there!" Pierce yelled. Marek looked down to him and nodded, running along the wall to spread the message. Pierce looked over at the ground, where Shin, Rayne, and Terra were still fighting. "Shin!" he yelled. Shin looked over to him.

"Yeah?!" he yelled, turning and cutting down a soldier.

"Get everyone inside!" Pierce told him. The other teen nodded and ran over to Rayne and Terra. "Fall back!" Pierce yelled one more time. Everyone quickly made it over to him and got inside, and they managed to shut the door and barricade it right as the remaining Heartless hit it. **(end Rescue)**

"Does anyone have a plan?!" Much shouted desperately. Robin sighed and looked over at his gang.

"Will, did you find anything in the basement?" he asked, turning to the young man. Will nodded.

"I found buckets of peanut oil, but I can't think of anything we can use it for." he said. Archer perked up at this.

"I studied in the Orient. How much oil have we got?" he asked Will, who gestured to all the barrels around them. Archer smiled. "I can use the oil as a base component for something that could turn the battle in our favor." he told Robin, who sighed and looked over at Pierce.

"Can't your group deal with those things?" he asked. Pierce shook his head.

"Only a few of us have ever fought Heartless before, and Vasey has a never ending supply. Xehanort must have somehow shown him how to open his heart to the darkness. The only way to stop the Heartless is to kill the leader." he explained. Robin nodded and looked back at Archer.

"Do it." he told him simply. From the corner, Prince John moaned from where he was tied and gagged.

"How long do you need to make it?" Marek asked Archer as he came up. Archer's face was firm with determination.

"I don't know. More than we've got." he replied simply. Marek nodded and turned to Pierce.

"I'll take some of them with me and go buy us some time. Have anyone who's left doing whatever they can to help Archer get this done." he told him. Pierce nodded, and his uncle ran to the door before turning to everyone.

"Kain, Shin, Terra, Rayne, and Lulu, you all come with me! We're going to give Archer as much time as possible. Everyone else, do whatever he needs to get it done!" he yelled. The five people quickly ran over to him and followed him out the door.

The rest of them gathered around Archer's work table. "So what will this be in the end?" Guy asked him calmly. Archer smiled as he kept working.

"It's called Byzantine fire. It's a flame that explodes on impact. Very powerful, and very deadly." he explained, throwing a few ingredients into a bowl of peanut oil. Robin nodded and turned to his men.

"Allan, John, Will, Much, start unloading these barrels. Djaq, help Archer with whatever mixtures he needs done. Pierce, Guy, you're with me. The rest of your group should go help the others." he instructed. Everyone nodded and went to do as they were told. Robin, Pierce, and Guy sneaked out of a side tunnel behind the throne that only Guy had known about.

They came up in a small cemetery, and quickly ran back around toward the main gates to the city.

AN HOUR LATER…

"Archer, please tell me you're almost finished!" Marek yelled from outside the door. They were still fighting, and were tiring greatly. Archer put in one final mixture in the very last barrel and smiled.

"Finished!" he yelled. Rayne threw up a barrier that would hold the Heartless for a few seconds, and everyone headed for the tunnel.

"Get inside! Hurry!" Kain yelled. Rayne ran over and picked up Soriah from where he had been sitting by Prince John, smacking the man repeatedly, and hurried into the tunnel, quickly followed by Djaq, Will, Allan, John, Archer, and the rest of her group. Ven, the last one, turned around and put the wall palate back in place before heading down the tunnel.

FRONT GATES…..

"This will be easy, as long as Archer positioned the barrels like I told him." Robin said as the three of them jogged through the town.

"Let's be rid of the sheriff once and for all." Guy agreed.

Robin smirked as he watched the last of Vasey's soldiers enter the castle. He held up his bow and lit the tip of his arrow, before loading it and carefully aiming for several seconds. "Are you sure you can do this?" Pierce asked him unsurely. Robin smiled as he let his arrow fly.

"Of course. I am Robin Hood." he told him confidently.

"Run!" Guy yelled at them. The three of them turned and quickly ran as fast as they could out of the city.

CASTLE, GREAT HALL…..

Vasey gloatingly walked through the room and approached Prince John, who was whimpering in the corner. "Oh shut up, you blithering idiot." he told him loathingly. Prince John raised both hands(since they were tied), and pointed to the table behind him. Vasey rolled his eyes and walked over to it, picking up the stone that Archer had used to weight the material. "Byzantine fire." he said calmly, smiling and looking around. A second later, his face grew serious as a flaming arrow came soaring into the room and stuck one of the barrels. "Byzantine fire, arrow…..ROBIN HOOD!" he screamed angrily, understanding at the very last second.

FIELD OUTSIDE NOTTINGHAM…..

The two groups had gathered in the plain, along with all of the families that had been chased out of the city before the attack had started. They watched as an explosion erupted within the castle, killing everything inside it. A few seconds later, the entire castle came crumbling down with such force that it shook the ground. They all cheered together, knowing it was finally over.

After the excitement settled down, the families began to disperse, leaving the two groups alone. "So where will you go from here?" Robin asked Pierce as their two groups intermingled. Pierce sighed.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure yet. We'll probably head to Baron unless we get an urgent call from someone else. What about you?" he asked. Robin nodded and smiled.

"Well, even though Prince John and the Sheriff are dead, we will still be fighting until King Richard returns home. What are your plans, Archer?" he told Pierce before turning to his brother. Archer shrugged his shoulders.

"I was thinking about going back to the Orient. But I will return when England is right again." he said. Guy walked up at that moment.

"I'll come with you. Besides, I'll probably be banished when the king returns, anyway." he said. Archer smiled, but Robin cleared his throat.

"Gisborne, when the king returns, I will speak for you, you have my word." he promised. Guy looked at him in complete surprise, but nodded in appreciation.

"Pierce, I need to talk to you, now." Rayne said, walking up. Pierce nodded and walked over to her.

"What's up?" he asked her. She smiled slyly.

"Griffin never shut down his communication channel. I hacked into it and overheard their last meeting. Lorans is going somewhere and only Braig, Griffin, and Xehanort are gonna be in the Council's palace. Now is the time to strike and take down three birds with one stone." she explained. Pierce smiled at her.

"Good thinking, Rayne!" he told her. She smiled back and he turned to everyone.

"We need to go, now. Lorans isn't in Radiant Garden, so we need to attack now and take out his remaining allies." he told everyone.

After exchanging farewells with Robin and his group, and knowing that the world would be fine on its own now, the group gathered in the ship and flew off of the world. "So, who are we targeting, Pierce?" Ava asked him evenly. She had asked out loud, so everyone heard and turned to him. Pierce swallowed and looked over at her.

"Xehanort and Braig are in charge in Lorans' absence. The only other one there is Griffin." he told her evenly. She looked at the floor, but spoke just as loudly.

"So we kill one of our own?" she asked him, clearly trying not to burst into tears. Pierce sighed and looked at her sadly.

"Whatever it takes, Ava." he told her emotionlessly.

**Alright, I think I could have done better with it, but I had a VERY long day today, so be grateful for the chapter, lol. So think about this. We're still seven chapters away from RTDoD, but we're already more than 20000 words longer! You can admit how much my writing has grown now, lol! Alright, see ya later, guys!**


	44. Ch 44: The War Begins

**Hey, everyone! Shout outs: **

**13TheAce: Well then it worked like I planned! He's being the leader they need, actually. **

**Gohan Roxas: Lol, well you guessed right. **

**Izumi Natsuno: Don't worry, you're fine. Thanks, lol. You'll find out why at the close of Part 3, around the same time that Lorans reveals himself. **

**Celeron96: I was asked to spare both of them, lol. Well, you're read my mind, lol! **

**Lucenthia: Actually, they died with Illusion. Well, Marek's fighting style is pretty defined by now, so I was giving Rayne some screen time. I most certainly will!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, keep that in mind. He is pretty cool, but I still like Robin better. My personal favorite in the show is Will. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Oh yeah, I never even thought about that! Thanks, man! Lol, yep! If everyone reviews right away, I'll do chapter 45 as well tonight, so we can start tomorrow. **

**Alright, so I'll do roll call this time. I own Lorans, Soriah, Pierce, Rayne, and Marek. That's who you'll see in the chapter that I own, lol. Celeron own Lulu, Aw owns Ava, TEL owns Griffin, and Herald owns Shin. That everyone? Alright, here's the first of the two-piece Part 2 finale! **

Chapter 44: The War Begins

Rayne carefully guided the ship through the Lanes with Kain in the co-pilot seat. The other seven were gathered around the table, discussing their plan. "So Lorans is gone for now, leaving Xehanort in charge as the sole survivor of the Council. Once we take out him, then the war begins. With Cecil, Arthur, Mickey, Cloud, Tidus, and Auron at our backs, then we actually mean to stand a chance. Does anyone disagree with what we are doing here?" Pierce said to them.

"What's our point of entry?" Shin asked him. Pierce sighed and looked at him.

"We'll split into teams, as usual. Three teams of three, one team against each of our targets. Should be easy enough. Each team will have a different entrance." he explained. Shin nodded.

"Rayne, put it on auto, you two need to hear this." Marek spoke up from his corner, where he was still half hidden in shadow, arms crossed. She nodded, and followed by Kain, walked back and sat down at the table.

"What are the teams going to be?" Ven asked. Pierce looked at Rayne.

"I've already put them together. Ava and Lulu are with me in one. Shin, Terra, and Marek are in another, and then Pierce, you and Kain are the last one." she told him. Immediately, three people stood up.

"No friggin' way." Shin said, glaring suspiciously at Marek, who just shook his head and said nothing.

"I'm not going in another team with her. Last time, I got locked up for three days!" Ava yelled, angrily pointing at Luriel. Lulu rolled her eyes and looked at Rayne.

"For once, me and her agree on something." she said calmly. Pierce angrily stood up at that point.

"These teams have been determined due to your own individual skills and the routes you will be taking! I refuse to let any personal grudges keep this team torn apart any longer. What was all of our training for, if we still can't trust each other and work as a team!?" he yelled at all of them. Everyone went completely silent when he started speaking, and just stared at him. He sighed and walked away from the table. "I might as well go in alone." he muttered as he walked past them and toward the armory, punching a wall as hard as he could on his way, leaving a dent.

ARMORY…

He sighed as he walked in rubbing his left hand and sat down on a crate in front of the weapons rack. He put his head in his hands and rested for several moments. It wasn't long before he heard the door open and light footsteps come toward him. "Whatcha doing?" Lulu asked him casually. Pierce shook his head as he looked up at her.

"I need to be alone right now." he told her simply. She cocked her head at him and walked closer.

"You can talk to me. I'm here, and I want to help in any way I can, Pierce." she told him, coming up and sitting sideways on his lap. He looked everywhere but at her as she began to touch his face gently. "You don't have to hide your feelings any longer. Set them free." she whispered to him. She then slowly leaned in and kissed him on the lips. He closed his eyes and barely kissed her back. "See? Now the only problem is Shin and Marek. I'll go tell Ava the news." she told him, smiling as she stood up. He gently grabbed her wrist as she turned to leave.

"Lulu, don't make me choose between you and her. It will always be her. I admit, I do feel for you, but she is the one I love, and that will never change." he told her calmly. Her smile faded, and she swallowed hard. "I'm sorry, Lulu. I didn't want to hurt you." he told her. She sighed, and looked at him.

"If I'm being perfectly honest, I knew it from the beginning, the way you two would look at each other. I was jealous, so I got in the way. She's a very lucky girl, Pierce." she told him softly. She wasn't angry, just a little bit sad. "Friends?" she asked. He smiled.

"Always." he told her surely. She smiled, and walked back out of the room. Pierce watched her go and stood up. He slowly walked over to the case where his outfit was hanging. Whenever he was in the ship, he just wore a plain black shirt and blue jeans. His normal suit was too bulky to walk around in inside the ship. He opened the case and reached out, touching the hood of his vest. But he hesitated about pulling it out. _"Will I always be just a figure hidden in shadow? How long will a cowl hide who I truly am?" _he thought to himself.

"_Pierce." _said a voice. He turned and smiled slightly at seeing the transparent image of his father.

"Hey, Dad." he said softly. Jack smiled, but had a grim expression on his face.

"_Son, you cannot go to Radiant Garden. There is victory there, but there is also loss." _he told him. Pierce swallowed and stared at him.

"If my death will bring us one step closer to defeating Lorans, then I will gladly give it, dad." he told him simply. Jack sighed and shook his head at him, both eyes(no longer scarred) staring at his son. A second later, another figure appeared next to him.

"_My son, do not do this." _Mist begged him calmly. Pierce felt his eyes watering as he stared at the image of his mother.

"Mom, it is for both of you that I do this. I still have to avenge your deaths, but I will. I swore on my life that I would be the one to kill Lorans, and I will. I am the wanderer, and my journey is not yet finished." he told her calmly, reaching out to touch her, but just like with Jack, he passed right through her. Mist held onto Jack's hand and began crying.

"_You have no idea what this single battle will cost you, Pierce." _she told him. He smiled.

"I am willing to pay the ultimate price. If I will die in this battle, then so be it." he told her firmly. Both of his parents stared at him with grave expressions, but said nothing more as they disappeared.

He sighed once more as he reached to his collar and tugged his black shirt off, placing it in the bottom of the case. He took off his jeans and put on his white camouflage pants. As he reached up to take his gray armored shirt out of the case, the door opened again. He half turned, expecting Lulu again, but this time it was Ava. "She told me what you said." she began, her eyes still red from crying. He exhaled deeply and turned all the way to her.

"Ava…." he began, but she placed a hand on his bare chest and leaned into him, kissing him. He kissed her back, and they held it for several seconds. They only broke apart when the ship lurched dangerously. Alarms began blaring and Rayne's voice could be heard over the intercom. **(Sons of War extended, Two Steps from Hell)**

"_We've been hit by planetary defense fire! They know we're here, and I'm not going to be able to take the ship in any closer!" _she yelled.

"Damn!" Pierce yelled. He ran to the door and stuck his head in the hallway. "Where are we?!" he yelled over the noise.

"Hovering right over the drop off point for your team!" Rayne yelled from the pilot's seat, where she was flying around, engaged in a dogfight with six other ships with the Council emblem on them. Pierce looked around at his team, Kain and Ven.

"Get to the hangar! If I'm not there in time then leave without me!" he told them. They both nodded and ran for the hangar as he ran back into the armory, Ava right behind him.

He ran up to the case and grabbed his gray armored shirt, throwing it on. He took his vest and put it on, leaving it unzipped. Ava handed him his black gauntlets, one at a time. He put them on and made sure they were tight. He threw off his shoes and put on his spiked boots. He tied his black headband in place and turned to her. He kissed her passionately one more time. "Finish the mission. Goodbye, Ava." he told her calmly.

"What are you talking about?!" she yelled at him as he sprinted out the door.

"Pierce, I have to pull out!" Rayne yelled as he passed by. By the time he reached the hangar, she was turning away from the world sharply. He saw Kain make the jump out, but as Ven was summoning his rider, a large crate fell toward him and hit him in the back. All Pierce heard was a groan from him and saw him fall limply out into space. _"Activating hyperdrive! We'll pull out and come in from another area! Kain and Ven are airborne! We can't wait any longer. Pierce, if you're out there…..good luck, little brother." _Rayne's voice echoed through the hangar as he ran for the open bay doors.

Time seemed to slow to a halt as he reached the edge and leaped out, spreading his arms wide and kicking hard with his feet. He managed to pull his hood up in time to protect himself from the empty air of the Lanes, and a second later the ship shot into hyperdrive and disappeared. He rocketed down toward the world. He saw the blue speck that was Kain gliding down gracefully, but Ven was falling limply, unconscious. He knew there would be no time to get to him on his rider. He summoned Hidden Resolve and threw it as hard as he physically could. The Keyblade flew through the air toward the falling blonde, and reached him as he entered the atmosphere.

Right before Ven fell into a dangerous distance between height and the ground, the Keyblade glowed bright and changed into its rider form, carrying the unconscious master gently to the ground.

Still falling, Pierce passed down through many Council ships, all targeting at him. Knowing Ven was safely on the ground, he called his blade back to his hand and sliced right through the ship right beneath him. He kicked off from some of the rubble and soared over to another ship. Running along the roof, he dragged his blade through the metal, slicing the entire top open and jumped over to another one. He wasn't high enough to reach the top of this ship, but turned his Keyblade right side up and held it up with both hands as he flew underneath the ship, cutting it in two.

As three simultaneous explosions sounded above and behind him, he smirked as he altered his course and continued falling downward. He entered the atmosphere, only to be fired at by the same cannons that attacked their gummi ship. He spun and weaved through the air better than he could have on his rider, and could see the ground getting steadily closer. He held out his Keyblade, which glowed bright as he neared the ground.

Right before hitting the ground, he back-flipped three times and spread his arms wide, stopping his lightning-fast descent with an anti gravity spell. He planted his feet on the ground while Kain and Ven, who had just regained consciousness, stood behind him. Keeping his hood covering his face, he held up his Keyblade toward the palace, to where he knew Xehanort was waiting for them. "This ends here. It all ends, so the war can begin." he said in determination. He glanced at the other two. "It's up to us now. We stop him here. After this fight, you must carry on our struggle." he told them, running forward before they could question his words. They instantly ran to keep up with him.

From far away, at the top of the palace stood Xehanort, his cloak furling in the wind behind him, watching in anticipation. "Everything is going according to plan." he muttered, chuckling evilly. **(end Sons of War)**

**Well, I hope you liked the chapter. If you all review within the next couple hours, I can't promise, but I will do my best to get Chapter 45 up tonight too! From what you've seen here, I trust you can tell the final battle with Xehanort is gonna pretty epic. As always, thank you for reading, don't forget to leave my humble self a review on your way out! See ya!**


	45. Ch 45: Interchangeable Fates

**Well, it's more or less on time, lol. I didn't expect to go see Man of Steel tonight when I made that promise earlier, but here I am. Shout outs: **

**The Unknowing Herald: Lol, well you know how teenage boys can be. Lol, because you already know how this ends? **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Lol, no comment. Don't worry, lol. I am trying!**

**Celeron96: Again, no comment. I'll get to it, if not tonight, tomorrow. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Lol, that's why I use them! **

**Izumi Natsuno: Lol, your comment made me laugh for some reason.**

**13TheAce: Luriel isn't a bad character or person. She's just…lonely, you could say. She grew up in that brothel and never had a friend like Pierce before. You can't really blame her. He always knows, lol!**

**Lucenthia: Thanks, I tried to make it as epic as possible. I hope this one is worthy of your expectations.**

**Bezerker21: I'll just let you read the chapter, lol. But needless to say having finished it, I am depressed right now.**

**Alright, one final roll call for the entire main cast! I own Lorans, Soriah, Pierce, Marek, Rayne, and any others that go by Rikkison. TEL owns Griffin, AW owns Ava, Celeron owns Luriel, and Herald owns Shin. This is it, the finale of Part 2. **

**Herald told me to say this, so: Graphic content included in the chapter. No it's not sexual content, but it is graphic nonetheless. You've been warned. Did I say it right, Herald? Lol! Alright, read on and enjoy. *evil laugh***

Chapter 45: Interchangeable Fates

While Rayne guided the ship around the world for the next group's entry point, Pierce, Kain, and Ven ran as fast as they could across the landscape toward the Council's palace.

His hood still covering his face, Pierce led the way. Glancing at his surroundings as he ran, he couldn't help but notice the drastic change since the last time he had been here. This garden was radiant no more. In fact, it could hardly be called a garden now. The once bright and shining city was covered in black smoke and soot everywhere. Only a few buildings were still standing, and he could see rows upon rows of people in the distance, chained up like animals. "This is Lorans' true colors." Kain muttered as they continued on.

As they neared the palace, it was not long before a great number of soldiers came massing out of the gates to fight them. "Pierce, we'll handle these. Keep going." Ven told him, holding his Keyblade ready. Kain twirled his lance and adopted a battle stance. Pierce nodded at them.

"Good luck." he told them simply, before leaping up into the air and back-flipping onto his rider. He wasted no time in soaring upward into the air until the smoke covered most of his field of vision. He could still make out the lone figure standing atop the fortress in the distance, however, and rocketed toward it.

PALACE, ROOF PLATFORM…

Xehanort smirked and eyed the teen happily as Pierce flew in and leaped off his rider, landing on the ground almost silently. "It is difficult to imagine how far you have come in a little over a year, boy. Had your father been this quick at learning, my plans might actually have succeeded." Xehanort told him casually. Pierce stared at him evenly and raised his Keyblade.

"I'm not here to hear about your recollections of the past, old man. I'm here to save my friends' future, and that's what I intend to do." he replied calmly. Xehanort just smiled even wider.

"You are your father's son, Pierce, but you are not your father. You attempt to act like him when you are nothing like him. I can see right through you, boy. You do not have the heart of a warrior. The title of wanderer doesn't suit you like it did Jack Rikkison, my prodigal son. You are not your father." he told him, summoning his own Keyblade. Pierce twirled his Keyblade back into its normal backhand position.

"I know. That's what everyone keeps telling me." he said simply. Xehanort sighed and walked over to the edge.

"You think your cause is just, and right. You think Lorans is evil because he killed your parents. Did you never stop and genuinely consider what he has done for the worlds, boy? He has taken away this false idea of liberty, and replaced it with something far more tangible! He controls everyone with an iron fist, and they no longer have to make their own choices. They do not have to bend their knees to some invisible politician! They see him before them, they cloaked man who brought them out of the darkness of the Purge and the time of the LE. He has given them true liberty, by taking away all choices." he spoke, waving his arms around dramatically like he always did.

"You're telling me you actually believe that crap? You're even thicker than my dad let on." Pierce said in disgust, already in his battle position. Xehanort sighed and turned back to him.

"I guess I am wasting my breath. Very well, I shall let you have a taste of the power that Lorans has shown to us all!" he yelled, preparing for battle.

MEANWHILE…

"According to what Rayne told us, Braig should be right in here." Terra said out loud as she, Shin, and Marek hurried through the basement of the palace.

"Terra, be careful." Marek spoke up, reaching out a hand to her, only to be punched by Shin.

"Stay away from her, _murderer_!" he spat. Marek glared at him, but said nothing.

"Heroes, they're always so stupid!" a voice suddenly said. The lights flooded on, revealing Braig standing at the front of a massive gathering of Immortals. "This'll be fun." he said, his single eye narrowing in anticipation.

MEANWHILE…

"You should have known not to come here." Griffin told Rayne, Ava, and Lulu as they neared the back entrance to the palace.

"You knew we would come." Ava told him calmly, still hoping for some reconciliation. Griffin looked at her sadly, showing some sympathy.

"Lorans knew, actually. I never wanted to hurt you in any way, Ava. You've always been like an older sister to me. I didn't want this for you." he told her. Rayne stepped forward.

"This ends now, Griffin. There's still a chance for you to come back, but this is your last opportunity." she told him. He summoned his black Keyblade in response.

"So be it." Rayne sighed as the three of them raised their weapons.

PALACE, ROOF…..**(Collective Consciousness, Metal Gear Rising)**

Pierce rolled to the side as Xehanort cast a bolt of black lightning shot up where he had just been. As he finished his roll, he threw his Keyblade. Xehanort managed to block it, but stumbled off balance because of it. Pierce took the opportunity and ran up, jumping up. As Xehanort looked back, Pierce's knee connected with his face and sent him onto his back, momentarily dazed.

As the black haired boy raised his Keyblade to finish it, Xehanort teleported behind him and struck him in the back. Pierce staggered forward a couple steps, but quickly spun around, swinging his blade. Xehanort brought up his blade and locked it with the younger combatant's. "Now I understand. You lack the ferocity that your father fought with. You were not born for the battlefield as he was. Such a pity it did not save him in the end." he commented. Pierce roared in anger and shoved the older man backward. He ran up and spun in the air, kicking Xehanort in the face as he finished.

"I will finish what my father started! I may lose my life here, but my team will continue our fight!" he yelled angrily. He ran up and punched downward, slamming his fist onto Xehanort's knee cap. The old man let out a groan of agony as he stumbled back a few steps. "You know, I'm not very impressed. The way my father talked about you in his stories, I always thought you had to be an amazing fighter. I guess I was mistaken." he said, walking up and striking him across the chest. Xehanort fell back even further, before lurching forward and coughing up blood. He glared at Pierce, before raising his arms.

Pierce looked around, but looked down at the last second as a pillar rose up and knocked him into the air. Now in the air, he hovered and stared at Xehanort. "We're about done here!" he yelled, kicking the air and dashing forward. Before Xehanort could block or dodge, Pierce was in front of him, and drove his Keyblade up to its hilt in the old man's chest. **(end Collective Consciousness) **

"This is far from over. Lorans' plan has only just begun. You still do not even know who he truly is. It has already been foretold by Lorans himself. A Rikkison shall fall on this day. It cannot be altered or avoided." Xehanort told him as he gasped for air. Pierce nodded.

"I know, and I am ready to give up my life. But you, you are done here." he told him simply, ripping his Keyblade out suddenly. Xehanort sighed deeply, and fell to the floor. Pierce sighed and stared at him for several seconds. That was when he heard the scream.

FRONT GATES…..

"Get back here, Braig!" Marek yelled as he chased after the teleporting sniper.

"I'm cool way up here!" was the reply he got. Shin and Terra were covering the back, keeping the Immortals away.

"He's leading us somewhere." Shin commented. Terra nodded in agreement. That was when they heard the scream.

OUTSIDE THE PALACE…..

Kain and Ven when were still fighting when they heard the scream, as well. "No!" Kain yelled desperately as he dashed through the chaos toward the noise. Ven quickly chased after him, cutting down any soldiers in his way.

PALACE, BACK GATES…..

"Griffin, please stop this!" Lulu yelled. Griffin slammed his Keyblade into the ground and sent her flying into the building.

"Get away!" he screamed at her. Rayne moved to step toward him, but Ava beat her there.

"Griffin, stop this! Think about what you're doing! There's no going back if you kill me!" she told him, but he didn't slow down. She sighed and began to cry as he raised his Keyblade. She threw hers to the ground. "You'll have to kill a defenseless woman." she told him simply. He stared at her in disbelief for several seconds, and slowed his charge.

"Ava….." he began. Ava smiled and stepped toward him, but Rayne saw the danger just as Lulu was getting back to her feet.

"Griffin." she breathed in relief as she stepped forward to hug him, but she saw him raise his Keyblade again.

"Forgive me." he finished. He yelled and pulled his blade back, right before shoving toward her chest. She gasped and tensed her body as she saw it coming.

"AVA!" screamed Rayne suddenly. She appeared in between the two of them and shoved Griffin backward, knocking him off his feet. Ava breathed deeply for several seconds as Lulu came back over to them.

"Thanks, Rayne. I owe you one." she told her in gratitude. But Rayne slowly turned around to face her, showing the black Keyblade stuck in her chest.

"Rayne!" they yelled, catching her as she fell onto her back. Griffin smiled and laughed quietly as he got back to his feet. As Ava quickly tried to do whatever she could to check the damage, Lulu angrily turned to him.

"Braig really has warped your mind." she spat at him. He stood up and drew his dagger, still laughing.

"One down, two to go." he muttered, laughing maniacally as he walked toward both of them. Both were so worried about Rayne's wound that they weren't paying attention to him.

"I don't think so." Pierce said, appearing out of nowhere in between the girls and Griffin. Without hesitation, he drove his blade into the other boy's chest. "You bastard…..damn you for making me do this." he whispered, tears starting to roll down his face. Griffin gasped and tried to breathe as darkness oozed out of his wound. He looked at Pierce with sincere, sadness filled eyes. When he spoke, he finally sounded like his old self.

"Pierce…I'm sorry." he whispered. Pierce indifferently let go of his Keyblade and let Griffin fall to the ground. By now, the rest of the group had gathered around, except for Marek, who was nowhere to be found. **(Why instrumental, Crisis Core)**

He quickly made his way over to where his sister was lying on the ground, her head in Ava's lap. Everyone backed away to give him room, and he knelt down at her side. "Rayne….." he whispered, his face stained with tears. She reached up a trembling hand and touched his cheek.

"Don't be afraid, Pierce." she told him. He looked over.

"Mother's gauntlet. Can't you…..?" he asked. She sadly shook her head, showing him the huge gash where the gem used to be.

"Griffin slashed it with his knife. I don't have long, so listen…." she told him. He nodded, but she gestured everyone to listen in.

"The only way to win this fight…is to be one united group. Let go of all your personal grudges, and work together to finish this. This is our story, together, and it's your last chance." she told them. Ava and Lulu looked over at each other and sighed sadly. Kain walked up to her and knelt down at her side.

"So much is still left unsaid." he told her sadly. She smiled.

"Just kiss me." she said. He smiled sadly as he leaned down and kissed her on the lips. She kissed him back for several moments, and he stood back up sadly. Marek came walking up out of a portal.

"One more goodbye to say." he told her calmly, placing Soriah next to her. She smiled, tears coming down her own face now.

"Hey, little guy." she told him. He instantly recognized her and leaned over, reaching for her. She laughed sadly as she gripped her hand. "You're gonna be alright. These guys are gonna take care of you. Be strong for me, okay?" she told him. He stared at her silently. She looked at everyone one last time before locking eyes with Pierce, who was still crying. She smiled at him and nodded once. It took all of his strength to smile back, and he nodded. She saw him return it and slowly closed her eyes, the hand holding onto Soriah's going limp instantly. **(end Why)**

**(To Zanarkand, Final Fantasy X)**

Time slowed almost to a halt, and to Pierce, everything went completely silent. Ava gently laid Rayne's head down on the ground and stood up to be with the other group. The eight of them stood in a single line in front of her body, her Keyblade in her hands, the tip of the blade close to her feet. Pierce walked over and manually retrieved his Keyblade from Griffin's body and they all began digging two graves. The smaller one they placed Griffin inside and sealed with magic.

But they hesitated with Rayne. Ava, Lulu, Shin, and Marek were mostly silent and unmoving as everyone else said their goodbyes. Kain walked up to her body, and solemnly placed one more kiss on her lips and walked back to his place. Ven gently stroked her hair, remembering all of the times he had spent with her, 17 years of memories. Terra cried without stopping, thinking about the friendship they had quickly forged. Finally, Pierce walked up and gave his sister one final hug. "We will win this fight. We won't let your death be for nothing, Rayne. I promise." he told her. Marek put a hand on his shoulder, and together as a group they gently lowered her down into the grave they had dug for her. "It wasn't supposed to be her. It was supposed to be me!" Pierce sobbed. Marek sighed and held his nephew tightly, but soon the boy ran over to Ava and found comfort in her arms. Kain and Ven silently placed the gravestone at the forefront of the mound and stepped back into line with everyone else. The stone read:

IN LOVING MEMORY OF RAYNE RIKKISON,

LOVING AND CARING FRIEND,

HEADSTRONG DAUGHTER,

THE X-BLADE MADE FLESH,

NEVER WAS THERE A MORE CARING INDIVIDUAL…

AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME LATER…

Lorans smirked as he walked through the palace, past the infirmary where Braig was getting his wounds sewn up, and walked into his holding cell. His prisoner silently looked up and glared at him. "Here to gloat again?" the man asked him. Lorans laughed.

"Don't be so down. I'll have you know that soon everything shall be mine. And now that the fugitives' will is broken because of Rayne's death, you will be my secret weapon that will shatter whatever remains of their strength." he told him calmly. The other man shook his head.

"I will die before I help you, murderer." he said simply. As he looked back at the floor, Lorans grabbed onto a single lock of his brown spiky hair.

"That remains to be seen, my new puppet." he whispered, letting go and walking to the door. Sora glared at his back until the door shut again, wrapping him in darkness once more…..

TO BE CONTINUED…IN PART 3….

**Final notes on Part 2: In loving memory of both Rayne Rikkison and Griffin, listen to the song for another minute and let the seriousness of everything that you have just witnessed sink in. Now I'm out for a couple days doing other work. Take this heart, leave a last review for chapter 2 in memory of the fallen, and let me know how you felt about the chapter. I'm out, so have a good weekend, everyone. **


	46. Part 3 IntroCh 46: A Torn Leader

**Wow! We broke a record with the number of reviews last chapter with eleven total! That's the most reviews I've ever had for a single chapter! Shout outs: **

**Gohan Roxas: Yep! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: It was probably the saddest chapter I've ever written, even harder to write than the beginning of the Purge. **

**Bezerker21: Well, first I killed Xion, Namine, Kairi, Mist, and Aqua, so Rayne wasn't the first. Griffin was being brainwashed to a point by Braig. That's why at the end he apologized to Pierce. Well, right now all I'm saying is Lorans could be anybody. It could be someone you, the readers, know, and he could be someone completely original that I made up. You will learn his true identity in chapter 60, right at the end of Part 3. Not necessarily. If you look back, you never actually see Sora die. Everyone else you see get killed except for Sora. I did that on purpose. Thanks for voicing your opinion, man! You definitely made me laugh quite a bit!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Don't worry, I have big plans for Braig. Xehanort's been beaten countless times by now, so I never meant for him to have an epic death. He's had like five already. Geez, man. There will definitely be a few moments, yes. With Rayne gone, there's only one person that Pierce can turn to now for comfort. I agree. Well, you're also seeing quite a bit of my mind. **

**Celeron96: Was it because I did the same thing the writers of Walking Dead did with T-dog(give the character rising screen time and popularity only to kill them off)? But Rayne was never a killer. The way Pierce reacted was the very thing I wanted to point out, because that's the character he is going to become. It depends which theory you mean. If you mean the one about Soriah, you'll just have to wait and see….**

**13TheAce: I know you didn't, man. Apparently, she was everyone's favorite. I never knew that until now. But her death will reinforce what you wanted to see. **

**Lucenthia: Well, I did think about it very carefully, and was actually advised by Herald. He was supposed to, so no surprise there. He was just Lorans' puppet this entire time. Well, thank you! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Sora's been completely in the dark for over a year now. Something I'm going to specify in this chapter is exactly how much time has passed since Rayne's death, and how much has passed since the beginning of the story. They will all be answered eventually, I promise! **

**Izumi Natsuno: Yes, I'm sad to say she did. Tough guys need hugs too, once in a while. Well, that coffin will be a little while…..**

**TEL: I didn't do it without reason, I promise! **

**Legionary Prime: Thanks. It means a lot. **

**Well, I know you are all very sad about Rayne's death. With Part 3 comes a few differences though that I am going to go ahead and point out. As you will see in the beginning of the chapter, a decent bit of time has passed since the assault on Radiant Garden. Pierce, because of the loss of his sister, is slowly growing colder and more distant with most of the group(except for namely Marek and Ava). So when he doesn't seem like himself, it's done on purpose. Also, the group has finally become one united team. Lorans now stands completely alone except for Braig and his army. But Lorans will not be the only thing the group has to combat in this part…**

**Alright, well a roll call. I, TerraKH, the humble author of this story, own Pierce, Marek, Lorans, Soriah, and any mentions of the deceased Rikkisons. AngelicWinds owns Ava, Celeron96 owns Luriel, and Herald owns Shin. Shout out to TheEighthLight for his deceased OC Griffin. **

**Enjoy!**

Part 3 Intro/Chapter 46: A Torn Leader

MANY MONTHS AGO, ON A TIRED BATTLEFIELD….

"_Griffin, stop!" _

"_Ava, forgive me….." _

"_AVA!" _

"_RAYNE! Damn you, Griffin…for making me do this." _

"_Rayne….."_

"_Be strong, Pierce…. The group must unite if we are to win this struggle. Only together….can you defeat Lorans." _

"_Goodbye, Rayne…my sister. We will defeat Lorans. We have to defeat Lorans." _

SIX MONTHS LATER…..

Pierce never stopped remembering that day. Not even now, while he was training and pushing himself much farther than he should have.

They still were camped in the ruins of the Land of Departure, the same place they had been stationed at for the past year. Ava sighed as she walked out of the ship carrying a tray of food. Now that Camelot, Disney Kingdom, Nottingham, Baron, Gaia, and Spira were their allies again, they never wanted for food. She calmly walked through their scattered camp, passing by Luriel and Terra, who were playing with Soriah. The baby was now a year and a half old, and was still learning how to walk. The girls smiled and giggled at him as he took a few steps and fell onto his backside. But he quickly got back up and kept going.

She looked up to the sky to see a flash of light. Ven came flying in on his rider, Kain riding on the back. They put their feet on the ground and began placing their various parcels around the camp, food, water, etc. Ava smiled at them and walked into the castle, where she found Shin sitting on a large stone, his sword draped over his lap and running a sharpening stone up and down the blade. In truth, the blade did not need it, but it kept him alert and occupied.

She walked farther into the castle and found Marek leaning against a wall just outside an old bedroom at the back of the ruins. "He's still in there." he told her calmly, picking an apple off of the tray she was carrying and taking a bite. She smiled at him and walked inside.

Her boyfriend had long ago moved all of the old furniture out of the room, replacing it with work out and training equipment that they had scavenged from the castle yards in Camelot. Pierce was shirtless, only wearing a pair of black shorts that went just past his knees, but his black headband was tied around his forehead. She sighed, but couldn't help smiling as she watched him go. He ran up a wall and back flipped off of it, landing on a stone on the other side of the room. He then jumped up and placed his palms on the ceiling, summoning his Keyblade, impaling it in the stone, and hanging upside down. "What is it, Ava?" he asked in between breaths. She sighed and put the tray down on a short pillar that he had brought in for some sort of use.

"You need to eat." she told him simply. He was stone faced as he flipped around and landed on his feet.

"Are you gonna sit here and feed me if I don't?" he asked her, picking up a towel and wiping his face with it. She raised her eyebrows.

"If I have to." she warned him, taking a few steps toward him. He sighed as she stepped right up to his face. She smiled as she placed a hand on his six pack and reached up to kiss him. He didn't smile, but he closed his eyes and kissed her back. After a long moment, he looked over at the tray and walked to it. Ava sat down across from him as he began to eat. "Why do you push yourself so hard, sweetie?" she asked him in concern. He didn't answer at first, but as she opened her mouth to talk again, he answered.

"You know why, Ava. If Xehanort and Griffin were able to do that alone, then I can only imagine what Lorans is capable of. After all, he killed my parents and the rest of the LE alone. How do you think we can stand up to him unless each of us is at our absolute best?" he told her, setting the tray down and drinking a few mouthfuls of water.

"Do you think you'll have to use Light?" she asked him. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Marek says that Light just wants to take over again, because when he does, he'll be unstoppable. But as things stand, I don't have a plan, Ava. Right now I just know that I will avenge my sister, and my parents." he told her simply. She nodded sadly.

"Pierce, it's not your fault that Rayne was killed. If anyone is to blame, it's me. She stepped in front of me and took that blow." she told him solemnly. He finished the rest of his meal and set the tray aside as he stood up. She stood up too and looked around the room.

"This was my father's old bedroom, you know, before it was mine." he told her, looking around at the faded black, silver, and gold coloring. She smiled.

"Come on, Pierce. The rest of the group is waiting." she told him, holding out her hand. He finally gave her a small smile and intertwined his hand in hers before leading the way out. Marek nodded at him as he walked out the door and quickly fell in line on Pierce's left.

"Distress calls?" Pierce asked. Marek shook his head.

"Everything's been quiet, same as always these last six months. But the other five, well, they're waiting for you to do something to show that you're still capable of leading." his uncle explained as they walked out of the castle and back into the camp. Pierce nodded, and walked toward the ship to change. Marek walked off toward Kain and Ven, but Ava stayed with him.

ARMORY…

As he came out of the shower that Marek and Ven had built into the ship, he looked out to see Ava patiently waiting for him. He raised his eyebrows at her, only wearing a towel. She sighed at him and turned away. He walked over to his personal clothing rack and picked up a pair of underpants. He took off his towel and got into them, but not before Ava had turned back around and been staring at him. He rolled his eyes at her as he put on a pair of blue jeans and a dark blue skintight shirt. She stood up out of the chair she had been sitting in and walked up to him. He stared at her as she gently reached up and touched his scar, caressing the left side of his face. "I remember before all of this happened, Rayne, Lorans, everything. I remember the 15 year old brown haired boy who I first met on the way to his welcoming at the Land of Departure. I remember the boy who wasn't a very exceptional fighter, or a seasoned leader. And now here you are, black hair, a scar, your own outfit, muscled, you've led us through so much in the past 18 months, and you're only 17, Pierce." she whispered to him, smiling at him affectionately. He reached up and held her hand, and they leaned toward each other and kissed again.

"Pierce!" Kain called from outside. Pierce broke away from the kiss and sighed.

"I'll be right there." he said without emotion. He looked back at Ava and smiled at her ever so slightly before heading for the door.

The other six were already sitting in a circle, waiting for him. "What is it?" Pierce asked as he sat down at the head. A moment later, Ava sat down next to him.

"Things have been pretty quiet for the past several months. Lorans hasn't been targeting worlds or sending his armies after us, and that has given the worlds a chance to rebuild their strengths, which will help us in the coming war." Ven explained.

"I know all of this already. The war started six months ago, Ven, when they murdered my sister." Pierce told him in irritation.

"Pierce, are you alright? You haven't been yourself at all lately. Maybe…..don't you think this leader thing has taken a toll on you, especially after Rayne?" Shin asked him cautiously. Pierce turned to him and stared at him for several moments without speaking.

"I am perfectly fine, Shin. I lost my sister, not my sanity." he told him coldly. Shin narrowed his eyes and looked back at him in confusion. He went to stand up, but Terra put a hand on his arm, stopping him. "Anything else?" Pierce asked the others. Luriel, Kain, Ava, and Ven were silent, but Marek cleared his throat.

"We received a call from Twilight Town. Apparently, things are stirring up again. So now that this war is going official, our allies will need an official group to rally behind." he explained. Pierce swallowed, and nodded.

"Well, we know what we are. We've discussed it countless times already." he said simply.

"But we need your go ahead, that is if you're still our leader." Shin told him, trying to sound calm. Pierce nodded.

"Contact our allies. Tell them the LE is ready when they are." he told them.

**And so Part 3 begins! Now I know Celeron and Lucenthia are on vacation, but is everyone else here? I know it was a filler chapter, but I hope it sets up the scene for how Part 3 is going to be. The first world, a familiar one! Hope you enjoyed it! **


	47. Ch 47: An Unwelcome Reunion

**Hey, everyone! I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter. Shout outs!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Thanks, and you'll find out soon.**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, there definitely is a reason, and you'll find it out soon!**

**Legionary Prime: I hope this and Part 4 live up to the first 2! I know, I'm excited for it! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Welcome back! And actually, that's not entirely true! Marek's still alive, isn't he? Thanks so much! **

**AngelicWinds: She definitely is. I think you know the answer to that question. **

**Celeron96: My bad, then. It's so different, haha! That was the reason I killed her, or one of them at least. **

**Bezerker21: Well, he is in a way, I totally agree. That's what Jack and Mist tried to tell him before the battle but he wouldn't listen. Oh my gosh man, that really made my day about Marek! They did hold a funeral, that was seen at the end of Chapter 45, but if you weren't satisfied with that scene, then just remember there is a six month gap between that day and now. **

**Izumi Natsuno: Actually, it was 2400 words, that's about average length. I'm going as fast as I can, I promise! You didn't disturb me at all!**

**13TheAce: Jack was like that for a while too, if you remember how he was in IDoD. At least Pierce still has Ava at this point, so there's still hope for him. **

**Alright, well I own Pierce, Marek, Lorans, Soriah, and any mentions of the deceased Jack, Mist, Jason, and Rayne. Angelic owns Ava, Herald owns Shin, Celeron owns Herald, and TEL owns the deceased Griffin. Enjoy the return to Twilight Town!**

Chapter 47: An Unwelcome Reunion

"We'll arrive at the town in a few minutes, so get ready for landing." Ven told the group, who was now the designated pilot in place of Rayne. Pierce silently stood up and walked back to the armory to put his suit on. Kain merely stood up and held onto a bar on the wall while everyone else strapped themselves down. Several of the group members had undergone costume changes. Ven and Ava now wore the armor worn by the old LE, consisting of full body armor, colored black with a golden Kingdom Hearts symbol on the chest guard. Golden stripes flowed all along the legs, arms, and torso.

Marek had also slightly upgraded his costume. He had thrown away his tattered black cloak long ago. He wore a new long sleeve gray shirt that had an armored quality similar to Pierce's, but Marek's had a hood attached to the collar. But instead of his old normal black pants, he now had on armored boots and flexible but armored jeans that bore the LE symbol on both thighs. Everyone else still wore their same outfits.

Pierce walked back into the room in his wanderer attire and looked at everyone. "Alpha Team goes in first. Bravo Team secures the landing area and then makes sure the town is clear while we meet up with our friends in the city." he told them emotionlessly. The group nodded as Ven guided the ship down to a landing in the middle of the train station.

As Ven, Marek, Terra, and Shin slowly headed out throughout the town to make sure everything was clear, Pierce, Ava, Lulu, and Kain walked straight through the streets, following the directions given to them by Hayner, who had called them for help. "Kain?" Pierce asked as they walked into the Tram Common area. The holy dragoon nodded and dashed away. Ava and Lulu glanced at each other silently as they drew their cloaks in around them and followed Pierce's lead, who walked through the streets like nothing could touch him. He had his hood on, but he made no other attempt to hide himself. Townspeople saw him and the girls walking through the streets and scattered, fleeing into their homes and shops and locking their doors.

"What's going on here?" Lulu asked, watching them run away.

"Lorans still holds influence over the rest of the worlds. Most of them have no choice but to bow to the supreme councilor, despite there no longer even being a council of sovereigns. We will encounter resistance here, so be ready for a fight." Pierce answered her in a monotone voice. He didn't even turn around when he spoke, he just continued walking toward a massive hole in the town's boundary walls. Ava stayed less than a foot behind him while Lulu brought up the rear, her fingers twitching toward her sickles. As Pierce and Ava disappeared into whatever lay beyond the hole in the wall, Lulu turned one more time, and she knew for sure that she saw several figures vanish into the shadows. She narrowed her eyes and stared, waiting for something to move toward her, but nothing came. After half a minute of silence, she turned and ran to catch up with the others.

OLD MANSION...

Pierce and the other two walked up to the open mansion gates, where Kain was waiting for them. "The outside is secure. No Immortals or Council soldiers. There is no sign of Braig or Lorans, either." he told them calmly. Pierce nodded and kept walking. They followed him into the courtyard and up to the front doors. He pushed them open and walked inside without a care.

"Hayner! Pence! Olette!" he yelled loudly.

"Pierce, what if something else is here?!" Ava whispered harshly at him. He sighed and walked out toward the middle of the ruined foyer. Sure enough, out of every single door in the place, Council soldiers came pouring out into the main foyer. Pierce didn't even flinch as he summoned his Keyblade. Ava quickly summoned hers as Kain and Lulu drew their weapons.

"I was counting on it, Ava." Pierce answered her calmly. He suddenly heard the sound of someone clapping their hands together. The four of them formed a square, all standing back to back. They turned to the top of the staircase, where someone was clapping.

"You think you're so cool, don't you, Rikkison. Well guess what? No one here cares what your father did. No one cares what you've done, killing half the Council and turning the rest into traitors. And most of all, no one cares that your sister was murdered half a year ago. So why are you still fighting?" the person's voice said in mockery.

"I know that voice." Kain muttered. The girls turned to him in question. He shrugged his shoulders. "I fought in a battle here many years ago, alongside Jack and Sora. A man called Garland was attacking the town during the Third Keyblade War. he explained to them.

"The hell are you?" Pierce asked the man as he stepped into the light. He was wearing a white trench coat, and he had golden blonde hair. His eyes were alive with mischief as he stared at Pierce's group.

"The name's Seifer, and you're in my town now, fugitive. I oughta kill you where you stand for causing trouble. I'm the head of the Twilight Town Disciplinary commi..." he began, but a deeper voice cut him off.

"That is quite enough of the idiocy, Seifer." a very familiar voice spoke out of the shadows. Pierce turned to Kain, who nodded and held up his wrist, activating the communicator.

"Marek, priority Alpha. Code Seven." he spoke into it, shutting it off immediately after and turning back to the man on the stairs. Pierce glared furiously as Lorans stepped up to the railing, Braig standing silently behind him.

"Lorans, we have some unfinished business to attend to!" Pierce yelled angrily, holding his Keyblade up to Lorans, who just smiled, his hood only showing his mouth and chin like always.

"Indeed we do, wanderer. But first, I will make you suffer. Not because I felt any loyalty or affection for Mika, Vasey, Xehanort, and Griffin, but because you are a Rikkison. I told you before, your lineage is tainted. One day, you will learn the horrid truth, and then you will be disgusted with yourself and your bloodline. And on that day, I shall take everything that you love and cherish away from you before I finally end your pitiful little life." Lorans explained to him, leaning onto the railing with his hands.

"Whatever you say, your majesty. But that's not today." Marek's voice announced as a dark portal appeared directly behind the supreme councilor. Lorans could barely turn around in time as Marek's Keyblade came flying out at him. Lorans took it to the face and stumbled backward, breaking through the railing and crashing to the ground on his back. Braig whirled around and aimed his arrowguns, but Terra stepped out and sent him flying through the air with a thunder spell. Shin and Ven quickly leaped out, holding their blades ready. Marek himself then stepped out and caught his Keyblade. He looked down at where Pierce's group was and nodded. "To arms!" he yelled. **(Call to Arms extended, Two Steps from Hell)**

Lorans got back on his feet, as did Braig. "Take the two Rikkisons alive, and kill the others!" he yelled to his troops as he summoned his Keyblade. The soldiers readied their swords and guns and attacked. Pierce's group spread out as Ven, Shin, Terra, and Marek leaped down among the army. Pierce immediately branched off and walked through the chaos. Soldiers stopped fighting and turned to look at him. Many of them angrily turned and charged for him, but he did not quicken his pace. Cold fury shone on his face as he fought without taking his eyes off of his target. In one stroke apiece, he cut down four soldiers and continued walking through the fighting. He cut down a dozen more on his way to the steps, where Lorans was standing on top again, dueling Marek.

Lulu and Ava stood back to back, cutting down countless soldiers. Lulu kicked a man away and instantly turned to her right and held up one of her sickles to block a sword strike from another soldier. She swiftly brought her other sickle across his abdomen and sliced it open. He cried out in agony as he fell to his knees. She turned her sickle around, holding it backhand, and brought it across his throat, ending his agony.

Ava twirled her Keyblade around, blocking strikes from two different soldiers before quickly slicing through both of them. She held up her hand and sent a hail of icicles to fall down on the area in front of her. She looked and saw a man aiming a gun at her, and she quickly threw her Keyblade to take him out. But as soon as it left her hand, another one came running up to her swinging his sword. She stepped back, but couldn't call her Keyblade back until it took out the gunner. "Lulu!" she screamed. The green haired girl quickly put her arm back and threw a sickle into the air in front of Ava, who quickly caught it and blocked the man's sword. Their weapons locked, and she held her hand up to his face. The man looked at her as fear covered his face. A second later, he took a thunder spell straight to his face and flew across the room, crashing into a wall and falling to the ground with a thud. Her Keyblade took out the gunner, and she called it back to her hand while tossing Lulu back her sickle.

Braig held onto the chandelier with one hand while spraying arrows all over where Kain and Ven were fighting. Kain twirled his lance and stabbed it into the ground, knocking all the enemies around him back while Ven deflected Braig's arrows and made them hit his own soldiers. The Council soldiers still pressed on, however. Even close to the front doors, where Terra and Shin were fighting together. As Shin's sword glowed with fire and swung at one soldier, engulfing him in flame and making him fall back into his fellows, Terra brought her sword down on top of a soldier. She quickly stuck it in the ground and held up both hands. Ice began to blow from her hand and cover many of those around her. Any that froze solid, Shin quickly slammed his sword down on top of.

Meanwhile, Pierce made his way toward the balcony, where Marek was dueling fiercely with Lorans. As he was about to jump up to take over the fight, Seifer appeared in his way. "Where do you think you're going?" he smirked, holding a gunblade. Pierce swung once at him, screaming furiously. He hit the other man with such strength that he flew backwards into the window and shattered it, before falling to the floor. He leaped up onto the second story balcony a second later.

He held his blade ready as Lorans smacked Marek in the face with the hilt of his Keyblade. Marek stumbled backward, and just barely brought his blade up in time to block a powerful strike from Lorans. The stronger man kneed him in the stomach, and Marek lurched forward with a groan. As Lorans stood over him and raised his Keyblade, Marek brought his head up with such force that when it connected with Lorans chin, it sent him soaring up into the ceiling. As he fell back to the ground, Marek wiped the blood from his mouth and held his blade back up. Lorans stood up and smirked at him confidently. **(end Call to Arms)**

"Lorans! This is between you and me now!" Pierce yelled furiously from behind. Lorans turned to him, still half facing Marek. Although he continued smirking, his smile faltered a bit as he looked at his now decimated army. The other six quickly formed a line in the center of the room and pointed their weapons at him. No one noticed that Braig and Seifer had mysteriously vanished.

"Surrender, heroes. You have ten seconds." Lorans told them calmly. Pierce narrowed his eyes.

"Like hell I will! I will kill you!" he yelled angrily. Lorans smirked as Braig, Seifer, and a dozen remaining soldiers came walking out of the white room, holding Hayner, Pence, and Olette in chains.

"Lay down your arms, or I will kill them where they stand." Lorans told them. The group glanced at one another, but Marek waited a second for Pierce to drop his Keyblade. When the black haired teen didn't even lower it, he tossed his to the ground. Ava and Ven followed Marek's example while Kain, Lulu, Shin, and Terra stuck their weapons in the ground. Lorans smirked even wider and stared at Pierce, who just glared at him for several silent seconds. Finally, he let out an angry growl and threw his Keyblade down as hard as he could. "Line them up. If any of them make a move, kill the girl first." Lorans told Braig, glancing at Olette as he walked by the three prisoners.

"Pierce don't give in to him!" Hayner yelled out, but Seifer immediately punched him in the gut. Hayner let out a groan and slumped forward, breathing heavily. Lorans calmly walked down the stairs as Marek and Pierce were lead to line up along the wall with the others.

"Kill them, slowly, one by one. Start with the non Keybladers, perhaps the women first." he told Braig calmly as he looked at Lulu and Terra. Both girls glared at him. He turned and walked up to Pierce, who didn't see a way out of it until...

"Terra, are you okay? Terra?" Shin spoke up. She shook her head, her face trembling in pain.

"Shin...it's happening!" she screamed as electricity began to flow around her head. Marek smirked and turned back to Lorans, who was staring at Terra in surprise.

"You were saying?" Marek told him calmly, raising his eyebrows.

**Well, I hope it was an enjoyable chapter. More questions will be answered next chapter, I promise. So who is genuinely worried that Pierce will end up getting himself or someone else hurt because of his recklessness? Rage can be a powerful friend, but dangerous too, expecially when he already has such a pure being filled with rage within him trying to break free...**

**Don't forget to review, and see you next time! **


	48. Ch 48: A Dark Forewarning

**Hey, guys! Shout outs:**

**The Unknowing Herald: She can control it once she's in the form. How's Part 2 coming?**

**Izumi Natsuno: Light is part of it, but he's only a small piece. The LE will realize Sora's alive in a couple chapters. Despite him being alive, Sora won't have a huge role in the rest of the story. **

**Celeron96: He's just fashionable like that, ha! He does, but not to the point where he lets it show. Plus it's been six months. **

**13TheAce: Well, he knows but I don't think he cares. He keeps doing what I tell him not to in the chapters….**

**Legionary Prime: Thanks!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Thanks, I'm doing my best!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: What's wrong with Olette, other than she's just "there"? Hayner's my favorite of the trio. Yep, you're gonna hate me when his identity is revealed. **

**Alright, well I hope you know who owns what by now. So get to the chapter and enjoy!**

Chapter 48: A Dark Forewarning

Marek used the opportunity to dash forward and punch Lorans in the gut as the man was looking at Terra. Lorans groaned as he flew several feet and landed on his back with a thud. Terra roared and flew up into the air as her Esper form engulfed her body. She calmly stared at the dozen remaining soldiers standing in front of the group. She quickly turned to Seifer, who had his gunblade pointed at Hayner, Pence, and Olette. She dashed through the air so fast that she was a blur, and before Seifer could even move, she picked him up by his throat. She turned and threw him through the air, where he collided with Braig and sent them both to the ground.

By now, the rest of the group had broken out of their bonds and picked their weapons back up. Lorans, Seifer, and Braig slowly got back to their feet as the seven heroes quickly took down their firing squad. Pierce calmly but angrily stepped toward them, the others flanking him as Terra calmly floated down the stairs, Hayner and the others following her slowly.

Lorans narrowed his eyes and stared at Pierce, but neither of them moved toward one another. "Kill them! What are you waiting for!?" Seifer yelled at them. Lorans glanced at him.

"You do not command me." he told him in a dangerous voice. Seifer couldn't tell how much danger he was in, and kept talking.

"This is our chance! Just kill them and it's over! Do it now, you old son of a…..!" he began to yell. Lorans instantly turned and drove his Keyblade through the man's stomach. The heroes gasped as Seifer's face tightened in pain and his eyes went wide. He looked up at Lorans' face, being close enough to see under his hood. He took on a look of surprise.

"Impossible. You….?" he muttered, and Lorans pulled his blade back out with a squelching sound. Braig stared at Seifer silently as the younger man fell to the ground. Ava looked at his face, and could see that Braig did not agree with the action.

Lorans sighed as he turned back to the group. **(Lorans' Theme{False King, Two Steps from Hell})**

"This could all end here, you know." he told Pierce as he wiped the blood from his blade. Pierce narrowed his eyes.

"What are you talking about, Lorans? You killed my sister, my parents, and everyone else. The only way this ends is when I kill you." he replied calmly. Lorans chuckled quietly.

"If only it were that simple, Pierce. You see, you can't just kill me, not without creating a time paradox." he told him hintingly. Pierce glanced back at his group. Everyone's faces were full of surprise but Marek's, who just stared at him.

"What do you even want, Lorans?!" Ven yelled. Lorans frowned and looked at them as he dismissed his blade. Braig silently put his arrowguns away and walked out. Terra hovered down and placed her feet on the ground, but stayed in Esper form.

"What I want, is to save the universe." he replied simply. Everyone looked at him in complete shock.

"Then you're going about it the completely wrong way! Killing off the LE and the Keybladers, you think that's gonna save the universe?!" Ava yelled at him. Lorans must have rolled his eyes, even though they couldn't see his face.

"You fools are so ignorant. I am not from your time period!" he yelled in frustration.

"What are you babbling about now?!" Pierce yelled at him, still holding his Keyblade ready to attack. Lorans put his arms behind his back and walked over to the open front doors, where he stared outside.

"I come from ten years in your future. And during that time, I knew Jack Rikkison. I also knew his son Pierce. Both were hosts to a superficial being known only as Light. As this Light possessed my time's Pierce, he declared a war on the other two beings, Darkness and Corruption. At the same time, other members of the Rikkison family took on these forms. I and the other Keybladers were caught in the crossfire of this holy war." he explained.

"What happened to me and my father?" Pierce asked him, trying to stay calm. Lorans sighed and looked at the ground.

"He broke free of Light's grasp, Jack did. Together, we tried to stop the war, but by then, it was too late. We both knew it, and even as Corruption was felled by Light and Darkness, the two supreme opposing forces continued to wage war for another five years. During that time, Jack and I managed to find a way to travel back through time. Jack made me promise him to do all in my power to stop that future from happening, and that is what I intend to do, by wiping out the Rikkison line!" he finished, summoning his Keyblade again. Immediately, the entire group raised their weapons as Hayner, Pence, and Olette ran for cover.

As Lorans dashed through the air, coming for Pierce, Kain and Marek both got in front of him and blocked the attack. They pushed back with all their might, making the bigger man fly back and land where he had been standing. "I do not care what your reasoning is! You've already caused enough pain!" Kain yelled at him. Lorans smirked and held out his arms calmly.

"Light cannot live to see the future, but he will survive as long as there is living blood in the Rikkison line!" he argued. Shin, Terra, Ven, Ava, Kain, Lulu, and Marek all stepped in front of Pierce, who just watched in surprise and silence. Lorans sighed at their actions. "Very well, but know this, heroes: Light is already manifesting within him. It is only a matter of time before it takes control. When that happens, you will not be able to stop him. And this will happen soon, I guarantee it." he warned them solemnly.

"C'mon, we can take him now!" Lulu yelled angrily, but Marek shook his head.

"At least part of his story is right. He can't be killed here, no matter how hard we try. He really is immortal." he told her. He turned to the others. "Shin, take Lulu, Terra, and Ven and get them out of here." he told the young man, gesturing to Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Shin nodded, and quickly led them out the back way of the mansion.

Marek, Kain, and Ava turned to Pierce, who looked back at them and nodded. He stepped toward Lorans. "So you're saying that Light will soon take control of me, and when it happens he won't be stopped?" he asked. Lorans nodded solemnly.

"I care about the worlds, and your family has been tainted for centuries, since before even the first Keyblade War. One day, you will know the true history of your ancestors. Couple that with the future those fools of the past have doomed you to, and you'll be begging for my blade to release you just like I did your father." he told him calmly. With that, he turned and vanished in a flash of light. **(end Lorans' Theme)**

"Pierce, we have to get to the ship. They'll all be waiting for us there." Ava told him calmly, slipping her hand into his. He swallowed and nodded slowly. Kain and Marek walked on either side of them as they walked back into the town and up to the train station.

TRAIN STATION…

"Pierce, I swear if I had known that Seifer was working for Lorans, I would have never called you there. But when he took us prisoner and forced us to send a distress call, I thought it was just because he wanted the bounty for you. I had no idea he was actually a puppet." Hayner explained. Pierce nodded.

"I'm just glad we got there in time to save you." he told him simply.

With nothing else to say, the group boarded the ship to find a screaming Soriah sitting in his crib. "Someone's not happy we left him behind." Lulu commented.

"We shouldn't have left him here alone." Terra agreed. Pierce rolled his eyes.

"It's safer for him in the ship that out on a mission. Let's get out of here." he told them, slightly irritated. Ven walked up and sat in the pilot's seat, flipping switches and pressing buttons to get the engines started.

"Where to now?" he asked.

"Just get us out of here for now." Marek told him before turning to Pierce.

"Marek, do you think what Lorans said is true?" Pierce asked him. He sighed.

"I'm sure what he told us of his origins is correct. As for Light and our family's history, I couldn't say for sure, Pierce." Marek replied. Pierce nodded and sat down in one of the seats on the side, silently staring out the window.

**I'll admit it was kinda rushed, but I needed to get it done today. I decided to stop being so stingy and to finally show you a tiny piece of Lorans' origins. He was a new member of the LE five years in the future of the story's present time. I hope you still enjoyed it. Twilight, the lack of words from Hayner's group was for you since you can't stand Olette.**

**This is the shortest chapter so far, only being around 1900 words, but it did give you some information on Lorans' background, so I hope the content was worth the short length.**

**Alright, leave a review, and I'll see you in a day or 2!**


	49. Ch 49: Return to Camelot

**Hey, guys. So the little hints have led a few of you to throw out guesses for Lorans' identity. You could be right, but you could be completely wrong, as well. You'll have to wait until Chapter 60 to find out for sure. Shout outs: **

**TheEighthLight: Oh, you're home now? Welcome back!**

**Izumi Natsuno: Well, I hope you enjoyed it, at least! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Haha, I'm glad you liked it!**

**Celeron96: Either one could be right, I'm not telling, they could both be wrong, too. That's certainly how it looks right now, huh?**

**The Unknowing Herald: No comment, haha!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Ha, well you'll have to wait and see if you're right. **

**Legionary Prime: Well I'm glad, thank you. **

**Alright, I own Lorans, Pierce, Marek, and the rest of the fallen Rikkisons. Angelic owns Ava, Herald owns Shin, Celeron owns Luriel, and TEL owns the deceased Griffin. Enjoy the chapter, and I hope I do this world justice this time around!**

Chapter 49: Return to Camelot

The ship calmly glided through the Lanes, heading back for their camp since they had no pressing matters to deal with. "Ava, I want you to contact all of our allies. Find out which of them are ready to fight, and which ones still need more help. We don't have much time left, so we have to attack Lorans as soon as we're ready." Pierce told her as he walked into the cockpit in his casual wear. Ava nodded and walked over to the comm. station, sitting in the seat and messing with the controls. He looked over at Ven, who was piloting. "Ven, I need you to look at the back up engines, something's wrong with it." he said. Ven looked back at him, and gestured at the controls since he was piloting. Pierce rolled his eyes, and the blonde sighed as he put it on auto pilot and walked to the back of the ship.

Marek was leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Shin, Terra, and Lulu were sitting around the table playing with Soriah, and Kain was in the armory doing…whatever Kain did in his spare time. Pierce walked over to Marek and sighed. "What is it?" the white haired man asked him. Pierce rubbed the back of his neck.

"I can't stop thinking about Light and everything Lorans said about our family. How would he even know what our ancestors did?" he asked him quietly. Marek shook his head slightly.

"If Lorans came from the future, do you think this is the only point in time that he could stop at? He most likely saw the first Keyblade War, that's why he was able to describe it so well." he explained calmly. Pierce looked at him in surprise, but nodded slowly.

"I just don't understand what could make him think that slaughtering innocents is right, no matter what he's seen in the future." he replied. Marek nodded, but at that moment, Ava turned to look at them.

"Pierce, I've contacted all of our allies." she told him. He walked over to her and stopped just behind her chair. Marek sat down at the table as Kain and Ven came walking back into the room to listen.

"Yeah, and how's everything look?" he asked her. She sighed and looked at everyone.

"Nottingham is peaceful and ready. Robin and his gang are preparing King Richard's troops, who have just returned from the Holy Land. Spira doesn't have very many forces, but Tidus and Auron are gathering those they can, mainly a remnant of the Crusaders." she explained.

"What about Gaia?" Shin asked.

"Cloud, Zack, and Vincent have the remainder of their resistance fighters, and they have a great number of new fights who were stuck under Xehanort's regime. The problems are from the others." she told them.

"What do you mean, Ava?" Pierce asked her in question. She got up out of her chair and went to sit at the table.

"Camelot can't help us right now, they're still dealing with Morgana and one of her allies named Mordred. According to Merlin, Arthur intends to ride out with his men on a suicide mission to try and save the kingdom. The world is lost without our help. Baron is busy right now, too. I spoke to Ceodore, and he told me that Cecil and Golbez are trying to find the Maenad, who keeps causing trouble. But that's not the worst news." she told him.

"Ava, what's happened?" Marek asked her. She sighed and swallowed slowly.

"Disney Castle, it's gone." she told them.

"What?!" several voices echoed around the room. She nodded sadly.

"Mickey contacted me from Traverse Town. He said the survivors managed to make it there with the few gummi ships that survived Lorans' surprise attack. He's using the Keyblade again, and he's organizing his army from the town." she explained to them.

"Damn Lorans, why can't he just leave everything be?" Shin muttered from the table. Pierce looked over at Ava and sighed.

"So between Camelot and Baron, which one needs us more immediately right now?" he asked her. Ava shrugged her shoulders.

"They both need us, but it sounds like Arthur's in more danger than Cecil is. Still, we should probably send groups to both worlds." she replied. He nodded. He looked over at Kain.

"Take Ven and Lulu with you. Anyone else prefer Baron over Camelot?" he asked the group. Marek sighed.

"I'll go with them. I can cover more ground than any of them at one time. Maybe I can find this Maenad." he volunteered. Pierce nodded.

"Alright then. Ven, you'll drop Ava, Terra, Shin, and I off in Camelot and then head for Baron." he told Ven. The blonde haired man nodded and walked back up to the controls, quickly changing directions and heading for Camelot. "Anything else?" Pierce asked the group. No one said anything, so he walked back into the armory to put on his gear.

ARMORY…..

As Pierce walked up to the glass case where his outfit was hanging, he became more than aware of a voice inside his mind, slyly speaking to him. _"What are you doing here with them? Your father did not resort to traveling alongside brothel daughters and fallen sons of darkness." _the voice asked him. Pierce shook his head.

"Lulu and Marek have both proven themselves to be trustworthy. Leave me to my own thoughts." he told the voice. But Light would not be silent.

"_Then what of the Esper and her guardian? Are you sure that if the time came when their loyalties would be tested, that they would stand beside you and give their own lives for you? And what of the dragoon and the renegade Keyblade master? You are short of true friends, little Rikkison." _he whispered. Pierce frowned in slight anger and took a few deep breaths.

"You're not gonna turn me against my companions, Light. I'm not letting you out, either, so just slink back into my subconscious or wherever you hide in shadow." he replied simply. Light growled quietly.

"_Very well, but do not think this is over. I will find my freedom, Rikkison. I will purge this world of the oppressing darkness and the unending corruption." _he growled angrily. Pierce stopped short at hearing these words and sighed. But Light's voice was quieted now, and after a moment he began putting his gear on.

He was just tying his headband in place when the door hissed open. He turned to find Ava standing in the doorway, watching him. "Pierce, I know you haven't been yourself lately, but you're starting to worry me." she told him as she walked inside. He sighed.

"Nothing will be as it should be until Lorans is dead. Even then, nothing will ever be okay for me. Ava, these past several months, you've been the one light keeping me out of the darkness. But it seems like everyone close to me is dying. I don't want you to take that same path." he told her solemnly as he buckled his gauntlets. She stared at him.

"You know that's not true. Pierce, you are a good person. The boy I fell in love with is still there. He's just buried under this new cold persona that you like to hide behind. None of us will be around forever, so it's probably best if you stop sulking and stop staring at the past and what should have been. You need to look to the future, and what may still be. And if you can't do that, then you need to step down and let Marek or someone else take charge." she told him somewhat impatiently. He avoided her eyes and looked at the ground. She sighed in frustration and walked back out, shaking her head.

"_We're over Camelot's atmosphere, Pierce. Be ready to drop jump." _Ven's voice could be heard over the intercom. Pierce sighed as he put his hood over his face and walked out toward the hangar.

Terra, Shin, and Ava were already waiting for him, but the pink haired girl completely ignored him and summoned her rider. Terra quickly got on the back of hers as Shin walked over to Pierce. The hooded teen summoned his own rider that was identical to his father's but slightly different in color and sat on the seat. Shin silently sat behind him, and as soon as the hangar doors opened, both riders flew out. Ava summoned her rider, and Terra and Shin put up the hoods on their cloaks. It had been a very good thing that Rayne had managed to transplant the same technology from Jack's original hood onto the entire group's cloaks to offer protection like Keyblade Armor.

Together but silently, both riders glided down toward the surface of Camelot. Meanwhile, Ven calmly guided the ship away while Kain, Lulu, and Marek prepared for their own part of the mission.

Lulu spared a moment and bent down next to Soriah's little crib and picked him up. She smiled at him as she gently held him. "Are you sure he's gonna be okay, left in the ship all the time like this?" she asked Marek. The white haired man just smiled and looked at the little guy.

"Eh, he'll be alright. He's fed, clothed, and he's in a place of comfort. He was in worse conditions when it was just me and him on the run. Trust me, he's only crying because he needs to be changed….." he trailed off and walked out of the cockpit. Lulu looked down at Soriah in mild disgust as the baby just giggled. She looked over at Kain, who took off one of his gauntlets and started polishing it before following Marek out of the room. She looked over at Ven, who gestured to the controls.

"I'm piloting the ship." he told her. She narrowed her eyes.

"Isn't there an auto pilot?" she asked. Ven tensed for a moment.

"It's malfunctioning right now. I'm gonna check it out as soon as we land." he told her quickly. She sighed and looked at Soriah.

"This is gonna be so gross….." she muttered to herself as she walked down to the indoor restroom.

**Next stop: Camelot! **

**A filler chapter, I admit, but there were a few tense moments between Ava, Pierce, and Light, so it should have balanced well. As always, I hope you enjoyed it, leave me a review, and see ya later!**


	50. Ch 50: The Destiny of Emrys

**Heya, everyone. Gonna get right on to business tonight, so here are the shout outs:**

**TheEighthLight: Well, I'm just saying it could be anybody that knew or will know Jack in Lorans' version of the future. But it was a good guess! Wait till the end of Part 3 and you'll find out for sure.**

**Celeron96: Like I told the others, Sora being alive doesn't mean that he's going to have a big role in the rest of the story. It won't be until everything goes down at the climax of Part 3 that the group realizes he's alive. **

**Bezerker21: Welcome back, I hope you had fun! Well, you have some very good theories, but it's not Chaos, it's corruption. But the war that Lorans spoke of between the three, you will see it, I promise you that. It wasn't supposed to be this big fight between the girls. For all of Part 1 and 2, they were fighting and arguing the whole time. While Pierce's decision saddened Lulu, like she said in the text, she knew who Pierce had eyes for all along. Have fun, dude!**

**The Unknowing Herald: The only reason I split the groups was because I didn't think Kain would go to another world first when Baron's in trouble, plus I like to give out even groups. The whole group will be there for most of the second Baron trip, don't worry. **

**Legionary Prime: Well, the group will still go through some tough moments for all of them, but thanks.**

**13TheAce: Yep, he was! We knew it would only be a matter of time before he attacked somewhere. They always have to save everything!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Haha, thanks! It was just a random bit of humor I threw in there. **

**Izumi Natsuno: Thanks! That's what makes him a good villain, because we don't know if he's truly bad or not. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Oh cool, you should let Angelic know that! Well, you know whatever happens will take time. **

**MEleeSmasher: Definitely not. We're just beginning to view the entire definition of Light as you will by the end of the story. **

**Alright, well hopefully you know what everyone owns! Here's the first third of the second trip to Camelot! Enjoy!**

Chapter 50: The Destiny of Emrys

It was such a relief to the group that they didn't have to be secretive this time around as they walked into the lower town of Camelot. After being fugitives in every known world for so long, it did feel very weird walking about right in the open. But as Pierce looked up at the castle, he could see an open window near the top, where he could see the figure of Arthur. The king waved to them and nodded in greeted them. Pierce nodded back and walked toward the castle gates while the other three silently followed behind him.

As they walked into the castle courtyard, Pierce slowly put his hood back, and the other three did the same. Merlin came walking out of the front doors, closely followed by Arthur and his wife, Queen Guinevere. "Pierce, welcome back! You're right on time, as is the usual custom for the Rikkisons, I reckon." Arthur greeted with a smile as he descended the steps and walked up to Pierce, holding out his hand. Pierce took it with a fake smile.

"Arthur, we heard that you're planning to go out to battle against Morgana. We came as quickly as possible to offer what help we could." he greeted. Arthur nodded and looked back at Ava, Shin, and Terra.

"Forgive me. I was expecting….the rest of your group." he said with a slight hesitation. Pierce nodded understandingly.

"Yours isn't the only world that needed our help, Arthur. Kain, Marek, Ven, and Luriel are in Baron right now, helping Cecil. But we're here, and we will do whatever we can to help." he explained. Arthur nodded, and quickly stepped back.

"Well, please, come inside. I have a meeting to attend to, so I'll have Merlin get you up to speed on the situation. I'll send Gwaine by in an hour to collect you and your friends for the war council." he told them. Pierce nodded, and Arthur walked back inside, followed by Guinevere. No sooner had they disappeared inside then Merlin walked up to Pierce and looked at him with a very grave expression.

"I'll take you to Gaius' chamber. We'll explain everything there, not just what Arthur knows." he told him. Pierce nodded, and with a quick glance at his companions, who nodded at him except for Ava, who was still ignoring him, followed him into the castle.

GAIUS' CHAMBER….

"Pierce, Ava." Gaius greeted them as they walked in. Merlin quickly walked up to him as the four shed their cloaks.

"We have an hour to tell them everything. They're the last hope for Arthur." he told his mentor. Gaius sighed.

"Other than yourself, you mean." he told him solemnly. Merlin swallowed hard and shook his head before turning back to the group.

"Have a seat. We have a lot to talk about." he told them, trying to sound calm. Pierce nodded and sat down in one of the table chairs. Ava sat as far away from him as possible while Shin and Terra sat on either side of him.

"We were told something about Morgana allying herself with someone named Mordred. Explain that first, unless you think you should start somewhere else." he told Merlin politely. Merlin nodded as he and Gaius sat down, facing the group.

"Mordred is a sorcerer like myself, not as powerful, but dangerous. Until recently, he was a knight of Camelot. Arthur has not changed his views of magic, so we both had to hide our true selves. But one day, someone from Mordred's past arrived in Camelot and tried to kill the king. Despite everything Mordred said, Arthur could not let the girl go, considering she was an ally of Morgana. He gave the girl one final chance to repent for what she had done, but she just spat in his face. And so, after she was hanged, we found Mordred gone, and an entire hallway destroyed with sorcery. Now he stands with Morgana as she makes her final attack on Camelot." he explained to them.

"So we now have not one but two extremely powerful sorcerers facing us along with an entire army? It's a wonder Morgana hasn't sought Lorans' help." Shin commented while taking a swig of whatever was in his cup.

"Well, she did. But for some reason, Lorans is no longer interested in looking for allies. He just seems bent on destroying everything in his way." Gaius explained to him. Pierce sighed.

"So it seems like Arthur's last hope is Emrys." he said calmly. Merlin looked at him and sighed.

"I can't help, Pierce. Morgana sent a spy into the castle. He was carrying some sort of magical creature. When I went to my bed a few days ago, it latched onto my face. The next thing, I knew….." he trailed off as sadness filled his voice.

"I know. You lost your magic." Pierce said solemnly. Shin, Terra, and Ava all gasped in horror.

"What?!" Terra shrieked. Pierce stood up and took a step toward Merlin.

"The moment I saw you, I knew. The bright radiant energy that is usually burning within you, I can no longer feel its warmth." he explained. Merlin sighed and nodded slightly, his eyes starting to tear.

"Wait, so is that everything we need to know? Merlin can't save Arthur from Morgana and Mordred, so we have to instead?" Ava asked Gaius, who shook his head.

"There is more. Mordred has been prophesied to kill Arthur in battle. That is why he has joined Morgana, and unwittingly fulfilling the prophecy." he explained. Merlin spoke up at this point.

"The prophecy says that in Camlaan, Arthur will meet his fate. I can only hope that we kill Mordred before this battle ever happens." he told them. Pierce swallowed hard and looked at is companions. Shin looked at him with a grave expression, Terra looked at him and didn't know what to say, and Ava was avoiding his gaze. Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Merlin?" Gwaine's voice could be heard through the door.

"Come in, Gwaine!" Merlin called. Gwaine opened the door and walked inside.

"We need all of you for the war council. Arthur sent me." he explained. The six of them nodded and stood up to follow him out.

GRAND HALL…

"Pierce, thank you for joining us." Arthur greeted as they walked into the room. Pierce nodded to him as they all sat down in the empty seats around the famous round table. He looked around, but didn't recognize very many faces. He knew the blonde haired knight that was Sir Leon, and the broad shouldered man known as Percival. But other than those two and Gwaine, Pierce didn't know any of the knights sitting around him.

"Sire, it falls to me to relay this information to you." Sir Leon said after they were all sitting down. He stood up and unrolled a large map, laying it down across the table. Arthur stood up, as did Pierce. They both looked at the map, which detailed all of the land that Camelot ruled over. "Morgana is marching her army through the old pass in the mountains. Countless villages and towns have already been laid to ruin in front of her. We already have countless citizens seeking shelter in the city." he continued as Arthur and Pierce looked at the map. Arthur nodded grimly and turned to Leon.

"How long do we have to prepare our troops for a defense of the city?" he asked. At this, Percival stood up.

"Sire, they will be here within two days. Her army is too large to hold the city. Beyond that, we would lose the rest of the kingdom's villages. We have to ride out and meet her before she can get any farther." he respectfully put in. Arthur sighed and pored over the map.

"Arthur, what do you want to do? My companions and I are right behind you, no matter what road you choose to walk." Pierce asked him. Arthur studied the map for several more moments before looking up.

"Gwaine?" he asked. Gwaine stood up and looked at where the king pointed to.

"Our best chance is to hold them at a choke point in the mountains. What's the narrowest point of the pass?" he asked the knight. Gwaine looked down at the map for a moment and sighed.

"Here, sire." he said, pointing to an unnamed part of the pass. Arthur nodded.

"And what is the name of this part of the pass?" he asked, waiting for an answer from someone.

"Camlaan." Leon told him.

Immediately, Pierce locked eyes with Merlin, and they both felt feelings of dread sick into their stomachs. "Then it is at Camlaan that we make our stand. Dismissed." Arthur told the council. The knights immediately stood up and began to walk out, but Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, Gaius, and Pierce's group remained.

"Arthur, do you honestly believe that this is the best course of action?" Pierce asked him in a calm way, trying not to make it sound like he anything that he shouldn't. Arthur nodded.

"It is the only way to save the remaining villages, so yes, I am sure. Pierce, I want you to make sure your group is prepared to ride out with us. No doubt, with you with us, the victory is assured." he told him, smiling as he put a hand on his shoulder. Pierce nodded, and the king and queen walked out, leaving the rest of them to freely panic.

As Pierce, Ava, Shin, and Terra walked down to the armory to check their equipment, Merlin and Gaius walked through the castle to talk without being overheard. "You've got to do something, Merlin. If Arthur goes to Camlaan, he will die." Gaius told him solemnly. Merlin sighed.

"Without my magic, I'm powerless, Gaius. Even if I told Arthur the truth, it wouldn't stop him from going. I've got to think of a way to get my magic back. Arthur needs Emrys, but I'm nothing without it. Unless….." he trailed off.

"Unless what?" Gaius asked him. Merlin's face brightened as he thought of an idea.

"Tell Pierce and Gwaine to meet me in the courtyard! I'm gonna prepare for my own journey as Arthur heads to battle. There is one place that may be able to restore my magic, the place where all of magic was born!" he yelled as he ran back down the hallway. Gaius sighed and turned down a path to his right, heading to the armory.

"_Though no man, no matter how great, can know his destiny, he could never have guessed the part that he would play in the story that is about to draw to a close. He has lived, and learned. Some lives have been foretold since the dawn of time, and magic. Until the time of Albion is realized, the destiny of a great kingdom shall continue to rest on the shoulders of a young man. His name: Emrys, or as he is commonly known…..Merlin." _

In the night sky, a great dragon calmly flew through the air, his massive wings flapping on his back. He never stopped watching over his young master, and he never hesitated to step in to save the future of Albion, and this final battle was no exception.

**Well, I hope this trip to Camelot is at least stirring up some suspense! In case anybody wants to say anything, yes the italics above are a mix of what The Great Dragon says at various points in the series, like the beginning, the end and the opening.**

**Hope you enjoyed it, till next time, everyone! **


	51. Ch 51: The Crystal Cave

**Well, I'm glad to see you're all enjoying the second Camelot visit! Shout outs: **

**The Unknowing Herald: You off your game or something? You're usually the first to review! **

**Izumi Natsuno: Ha, well just knowing how much you enjoy the story makes me happy. **

**Celeron96: Yep, just like Nottingham, this is gonna follow the series finale of Merlin, as opposed to Robin Hood. I altered the Robin Hood world though. Won't be doing that here. **

**AngelicWinds: Oh, you're fine. Twilight said Ava's one of her favorites! Ha, well I felt like something needed to be said about the show's most iconic phrases. **

**13TheAce: He's always had the dragon, I just never really made a big deal about it. But in RTDoD during the final battle, he's seen summoning the dragon. The dragon is also seen in one of the earlier chapters during Pierce's first trip to Camelot.**

**Shadowdragon1317: I know. The same question could be asked of LOTR. Why didn't they just have one of the eagles fly over Mordor and drop the Ring into the mountain? I won't be altering the ending, but I hope you like how I do it!**

**Legionary Prime: Thanks!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, he's not just a sorcerer. He's EMRYS! Yeah, I'll get it even though I pre ordered FFX HD three months ago. **

**Alright, well it's chapter 51. If you don't know what belongs to who by now, you definitely missed some important stuff, haha! Well, here's the next part of Camelot!**

Chapter 51: The Crystal Cave

"Morgana." Mordred spoke as he walked into the dark and shadowy throne room. Morgana looked up from where she was sitting on her throne and looked at the young knight. Mordred was no older than twenty years, and he had black hair and light green eyes. He was dressed in black chain mail, and he walked in and knelt at his queen's feet.

"What is it, Mordred?" she asked him as she stood up. He looked up at her.

"Emrys is heading to the Crystal Cave in an attempt to regain his magic." he informed her. She frowned angrily.

"Does he ride alone?" she asked. Mordred shook his head.

"Sir Gwaine rides with him, along with another, more formidable adversary." he told her. She took a step forward and looked at him angrily.

"Who rides with them?!" she asked in calm fear. He calmly stood up and stared at her.

"Pierce Rikkison, son of the fallen warrior Jack." he told her. Her face contorted in rage and she screamed as loud as she could. Every window in the room shattered instantly, and all of the torches were extinguished immediately.

"Find my horse, Mordred. You and I are going to stop Emrys from regaining his powers. How many of his pathetic band of rebels did Pierce bring with him this time?" she said to him as they walked out of the room.

"Three, my lady. The Keyblade wielding girl and the two known as Shin and Terra Branford. They did not even bring their strongest fighters like Marek. We can easily deal with them, Morgana." he told her as they walked into the castle's dark courtyard and mounted their horses.

"Do not under estimate them, Mordred. I have under estimated Emrys and the Rikkisons too many times. Both are thorns in my side that I shall be glad to dispose of." she warned him as they rode out into the forest.

VALLEY OF THE FALLEN KINGS, HIDDEN ENTRANCE TO THE CRYSTAL CAVE…

Two horses slowly came to a stop just outside a dark cave entrance. A moment later, a Keyblade rider swooped in and disappeared as its rider slowly and calmly hit the ground. The riders of the horses dismounted and stepped toward the cave entrance. "So what are you looking for in there, Merlin?" Gwaine asked him cautiously. Merlin sighed.

"I can't tell you that, Gwaine, but it's something that will save Camelot. Thank you for everything, my friend." he told him. Gwaine smiled and touched his shoulder.

"Take care of yourself, alright?" he told him. Merlin smiled back and nodded. Pierce looked at the knight and nodded as well. Without another look back, Gwaine walked back to his horse and mounted.

"Gwaine!" Pierce called out. Gwaine stopped and looked at him questioningly. "Tell my companions that they are to ride out with Arthur and do what he needs done." he told him.

"Will do. Good luck, to both of you." Gwaine calmly told him with a nod. He then turned his horse around and rode back through the forest.

"So, you mind telling me what we're looking for in here?" Pierce asked as they both stepped into the blackness of the cave.

"I am looking for the center of the Crystal Cave. If I can regain my magic, it'll be there." Merlin told him calmly. Pierce nodded and summoned his Keyblade, using the light of the blade as a torch.

"So do you have any idea how to find it, though?" he asked. Merlin sighed and looked around.

"I…let's just to the center of the cave, Pierce." he avoided the question. He suddenly took a few steps forward through a narrow opening. That was when Pierce saw the danger.

"Merlin!" he screamed as the ceiling suddenly caved in. Merlin barely dove forward fast enough to avoid the rock fall, but as he stood up, he realized that about ten feet of rock now separated him from Pierce.

"Pierce!" he yelled into the rock, but heard no response. Instead, he heard another, venomous voice.

"_Emrys….." _the female voice said. He calmly and angrily turned away from the wall, staring into the darkness around him.

"Face me, Morgana. Why are you afraid of me?" he told his surroundings. Suddenly, Morgana's pale face appeared out of the shadows and she stepped into what little light was coming in through the avalanche.

"Scared, of you? Come now, Emrys. We both know you're no longer a threat. Why don't you just lie down and….rest!" she yelled at him as she threw her hand out toward him. Her eyes glowed orange, and he flew backwards into the wall. He groaned in agony, and slid to the ground, unconscious. Morgana stared at him in hatred for several moments, before turning around and disappearing back into the shadows.

MEANWHILE, MOUNTAIN TRAIL…..

Arthur calmly stepped out of his tent to find Guinevere walking up to him. "I thought I told you to stay at the castle." he told her with a smile. She smiled back at him.

"These could very well be your last days, and I am spending them with you, Arthur." she told him simply. He smiled as he hugged her tightly. After a few moments, he looked up to see Shin watching him. He gestured Guinevere toward the tent and walked up to the waiting teen.

"Shin, what is it?" he asked him. Shin stared at him calmly.

"According to Pierce, we're to do whatever you need from us. We will fight alongside you in the coming battle, you just need to tell us where you need us." he explained calmly. Arthur nodded.

"Well, I'm going to want Terra with the reserves. Her…..sorcery, for loss of a better word, will be a sorely needed weapon there. As for Ava, I need her where the fighting is going to be thickest. That Keyblade she has is something completely new to Morgana's troops. I want you at my side, watching my back." he explained. Shin nodded.

"There shouldn't be a problem then." he replied, leaning on the hilt of his broadsword as he stuck the blade in the ground by a few inches.

"So tell me, where did Pierce disappear to on the eve of battle?" Arthur asked him. Shin shrugged his shoulders.

"Something about Gaius wanting him to help Merlin gather some rare herbs to help with treating the wounded. Apparently, the area he has to get them from is crawling with Saxons. You know Merlin would never be able to handle Morgana's men alone." he told him convincingly. Arthur sighed and looked in the distance, where the smoke from the advancing army's torches could be seen.

"Make sure your group rests tonight. We'll need all of our strength once daybreak comes." he told Shin quietly. Shin nodded at him, and the king turned and walked back toward his tent.

CRYSTAL CAVE…..

Pierce screamed at the wreckage as he repeatedly smashed his Keyblade into the rock fall. But no matter how hard he swung, the rocks would not yield to him. He knew this was magic, but no matter what spell he used to try and counter it, nothing worked. "Merlin!" he screamed again, his voice growing hoarse from screaming so much. He threw his Keyblade at the ground and sat down, leaning his back against a wall and sighing in defeat.

On the other side of the wall, Merlin felt his own consciousness returning to him. He slowly opened his eyes, and quickly covered them because a bright blue light suddenly filled the cave. He stood up and stared into the light, where he saw a ghostly figure. The man was his father, Balinor. Balinor smiled at his son, his brown shoulder length hair as straight as it was in life. "Father?" Merlin asked. Balinor nodded with a smile.

"My son. Why are you here?" he asked him calmly. Merlin stared at his father as tears began to form in his eyes.

"Arthur is riding to meet his fate, and it is my destiny to protect him. But without my powers, I can do nothing! I must regain my magic and save him!" he told him despairingly. Balinor sighed and stared at him.

"Merlin, you can not regain your magic…." he began, and as Merlin began to slump his shoulders in defeat, he continued. "Because you never lost it." he said. Merlin looked back up at him.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. Balinor nodded.

"You can not lose your magic, Merlin. You are the roots that tie everything in place. You are magic itself. Emrys, now is the time to fulfill your destiny. Ride out to Arthur's aid, and help him win this fight. Only with your help can the enemy be defeated. Go, my son…..go." he whispered as he began to fade. Merlin shook his head.

"Father, wait!" he yelled, but in seconds, Balinor was gone. Merlin breathed slowly and wiped the tears from his eyes. He turned and faced the caved in opening, raising his arms to face it. His eyes suddenly glowed orange, and instantly the rubble was blown back, opening the way again. He stepped back through it to find Pierce on his feet again, waiting.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked him. Merlin nodded.

"We have to go now." he said, heading for the cave entrance. Pierce nodded and fell into step next to him.

As they stepped outside, Pierce turned and looked at him. "Arthur will know you're a sorcerer. You need to disguise yourself if you don't wish to reveal yourself to everyone yet." he told him. Merlin nodded.

"I've already thought of that." he told him. Pierce nodded and stepped back as Merlin breathed deeply. His eyes glowed orange, and instantly he was covered in a flash of light. Pierce stepped back in surprise, but the light faded after a few moments, revealing an old man in a red robe. His white hair reached halfway down his waist, and his beard was several inches, as well. He was holding a white staff in his hand as he walked over to his horse.

"Now come, Rikkison! And let us see what we can do to turn the battle back in our favor, hmm?" he told Pierce in a very creaky and cackly voice. Pierce raised an eyebrow at him as the old man tried to mount his horse, but couldn't get himself high enough to do so. Pierce sniggered as he walked up behind him.

"Hang on, Gramps. I'll give you a boost, if that's really as high as you can jump." he told him in amusement as he put his hand under "Merlin's" boot and lifted him up enough to get onto the saddle.

"When you get to be this age, I shall be sitting back with a pint of ale judging how fast you can walk and how high you can jump. Now come! We must leave! Before both of us sink into decrepitude! Hyaah!" he spurred his horse. His horse gave an unhappy shriek and galloped off. Pierce smiled and sighed at the old man's behavior.

"After seeing that, I'm kinda glad I didn't have to see Dad go senile…." he muttered as he summoned his Keyblade rider to chase after him.

**And so next chapter will be the final part of the Camelot visit! I hope you're pumped for it. To Shadowdragon and anyone else who has seen Merlin, yes I HAD to put in a Dragoon cameo here! Face it, he's the funniest character in the entire series!**

**Well, as always I hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave me a review, and I'll see ya later! **

**Also, I know most of you reviewed, but for anyone who hasn't noticed it and likes Jack and Shin, I have Part One of a crossover story written by me and Herald. If you like those two or either one of them, you should check it out!**

**Final thing! Hey Herald, guess what! I just bought one of TSFH's albums, Invincible, haha! I'm gonna get Skyworld next!**


	52. Ch 52: The Battle of Camlaan

**Hey, guys. Here it is, one of the chapters of Camelot! But before that, shout outs!**

**Bezerker21: It's a really good show! And I do check it, but I miss things. At least it's not usually anything major like it used to be. **

**13TheAce: Well, if she doesn't, she'll regret it! Haha.**

**Izumi Natsuno: Does that mean you're truly struck speechless by my writing? Haha!**

**Celeron96: Cool, and I've been thinking about that now!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Yep, Dragoon is definitely the funniest character in the show. It terrifies you? Thanks, and I hope it satisfies! **

**The Unknowing Herald: Too bad I don't have a better time to use him, I would have had so much fun writing him….**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: I explained it as best I could, and that is from her magical powers. **

**Legionary Prime: I would definitely recommend watching Merlin. I would recommend watching Robin Hood BBC too.**

**Alright, lots to cover this chapter so I hope you know what belongs to who! Enjoy!**

Chapter 52: The Battle of Camlaan

It was upon hearing a loud crash near the camp that Arthur leaped out of his bed. Within moments, the entire camp was awake. Morgana's army had come. Arthur had just finished putting on his armor when Shin stepped into the tent. "Arthur, I've rallied the men. They're waiting for you." he told him. Arthur nodded and picked Excalibur up before walking outside, leaving Guinevere to run over to the other big tent where Gaius was setting up an infirmary.

Gwaine, Percival, and Leon were already standing at the front of the army when Arthur, Shin, Terra, and Ava got there. Morgana herself appeared high above her army, standing on a cliff and staring at them venomously. "Attack!" she screamed angrily. Her troops let out one simultaneous war cry and charged.

Arthur twirled Excalibur and took a step forward. "For the love of Camelot!" he yelled as he went into a full sprint. Shin, Terra, and Ava raised their blades and quickly followed him while the knights and the Camelot army followed not two steps behind them.

MEANWHILE…..

A horse galloped as fast as it could through a forest, its red robed rider urging it even faster as his long and elderly white hair whipped back and forth. In the air above him, a black haired teen soared through the sky on his Keyblade rider. Both knew the gravity of the situation, and could only hope that they would make it in time.

CAMLAAN…

It wasn't long before Shin lost sight of the girls in the valley. Soldiers were everywhere, fighting for both sides. But no matter what he did, he made sure to keep Arthur within his sight and cut down any who came at his back.

Terra looked up from where she was fighting to see Morgana casting a spell in her direction. She quickly threw her hand up and sent a blast of ice toward the cliff where the sorceress was standing. Morgana stopped the spell she was casting to block it, but wasn't pleased with Terra for interrupting her. She looked up into the sky as her eyes flashed orange. A moment later, Terra heard a piercing shriek.

Terra looked up into the sky to see a white dragon appear over the top of the surrounding mountains. "Aithusa, kill!" Morgana yelled. The dragon roared and flew down toward the waiting teen.

From where Shin was fighting, he could see the dragon swooping down toward Terra, and immediately ran for her. He quickly cut his way through the chaos. Morgana's men instantly turned to him as he came running through, but he cut them down without hesitation.

Terra held back her blade and readied to strike the dragon as it came near her, but Shin leaped into the air at the last second and collided with Aithusa. He wrapped his arm around the dragon's neck and pulled her to the ground. He quickly let go of her and ran back to where Terra was. By now, all the fighters had fled, leaving just the two of them and Aithusa as she angrily got back on her feet.

Ava was meanwhile cutting her way towards Morgana's cliff. The men were so afraid of her Keyblade that they hardly fought back. Instead, they tried to turn and run, only to be felled by Camelot knights. But in all the chaos, there was no one left to watch Arthur's back….

The young king was holding his own while surrounded by unbeatable odds. He turned and saw Leon knocked back into a wall, and he quickly ran up and impaled the man who did it from behind.

But then he turned back around and found himself alone, completely surrounded by silent soldiers. He raised Excalibur, but knew he could not beat such odds.

But suddenly, from the very top of one of the mountains, a blue bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere and struck the heart of the army, felling most of the Saxons surrounding Arthur, who looked up to where the lightning had come from.

Standing on the very top of the mountain was an old man in red robe, holding a white staff. He calmly looked out at the battlefield, watching Arthur, who smiled, knowing he had a powerful sorcerer on his side now. "For the love of Camelot!" he yelled again, rallying the remainder of his men as they charged into the fray once again. Emrys held up his staff and let loose another bolt of lightning, sending most of Morgana's troops running.

He then looked over to where Shin and Terra were fiercely battling Aithusa. He breathed deeply and began speaking in a low and raspy voice. He uttered a phrase in the dragon tongue, which he had long ago learned from his own mentor, the great dragon Kilgarrah.

Terra and Shin had just lunged toward the dragon with their swords raised when Aithusa suddenly flew up into the sky with one final shriek. They both looked around in surprise for several moments. They were shocked enough that they didn't notice the dozen soldiers coming up behind them. "Stay focused in battle, rookies!" Pierce yelled, flying in out of nowhere on his rider and ramming every single one of them into the mountainside. He then summoned it to blade form and turned to them. "Merlin's with us now. The battle will be won, now come. We have to save Arthur from Mordred." he told them. They nodded and quickly followed him back into the valley. "Shin, have either of you seen Ava?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Not since the beginning of the battle, no. But I'm sure she's fine, we just have to find her." Shin told him. Pierce nodded as they encountered another small group of Saxons.

Arthur had seen the sorcerer somehow call off the dragon, but by that time he was completely alone on the battlefield. He saw a knight barely alive to his left, reaching for him weakly. He quickly ran over to him. By the time he got to him, however, the man was dead. Arthur sighed and stared at him with sadness.

He did not notice the young man wearing black chain mail step into the clearing. A false version of Excalibur in his hand(also having been forged in a dragon's breath), Mordred calmly walked up behind his former king. He raised his sword over his head, and swung down.

Arthur immediately whirled around and blocked it, but upon seeing Mordred, he stopped in surprise. "Mordred?" he asked. The young knight immediately brought his sword back and plunged it through Arthur's stomach. Arthur gasped in surprise and fell to his knees as Mordred withdrew the sword.

"You left me no choice." Mordred told him with pity in his voice. In a flash, Arthur stood back to his feet and ran Mordred through until only the hilt of Excalibur did not touch the young man's body. Mordred stared at him in surprise, but smiled until Arthur pulled his blade out and let him fall to the ground.

He stared at Mordred's body for a few more moments, and then quickly turned to walk away. Holding the side of his stomach where he had been stabbed, he made it a few steps before he collapsed to the ground and lay there, breathing faintly.

MEANWHILE….

Ava was standing at the base of the cliff staring at Morgana angrily. As Saxons surrounded her, Ava summoned her rider. But before she could do any more, there was an earthquake that knocked down the remnants of Morgana's army.

The sorceress angrily looked up to the mountain top, where the red robed man was standing yet again. "EMRYS!" she screamed furiously. He simply held up his hand and knocked her off the mountain. She fell down and everyone lost sight of her.

As Emrys turned to go back into the battle to find Arthur, Pierce's group came running up to him. "Merlin! We can't find Arthur or Mordred." Pierce said as they came up to him. Merlin's elderly face turned grim.

"Search for survivors. I will find the king." he told them evenly. Pierce nodded and turned to run back into the wreckage, Shin and Terra now joined by the still silent Ava followed him. Emrys quickly hurried down another path. He had seen Arthur fighting earlier, so he knew where the king would most likely be.

CAMELOT CAMP…..

"Gaius, I need more bandages!" Gwen said over the moaning of the men in agony. Gaius nodded and quickly brought some more to her. She had just finished wrapping the wounded man's arm when Sir Leon, the knight in charge while Arthur was missing in action, came inside the tent.

"My lady, the battle is won. The Saxons are in full retreat, and I just sent a squad of 300 men to ensure they do not come back." he informed her. She smiled happily for a moment, before turning serious again.

"And Arthur?" she asked. Leon sighed.

"We'll keep looking." he assured her. She nodded at him and quickly turned back to her patient. Leon nodded to Gaius and silently slipped back outside.

CAMLAAN CLEARING…

Emrys silently walked through the clearing, stepping over the bodies of the dead in search of his king. He stepped into a small area that only had a few bodies. He looked down silently to see a young man in black chain mail, his lifeless eyes staring up at the sky and his triumphant smile still on his face. Emrys passed my Mordred's body without a second glance, but seconds later he found who he was looking for. He quickly hobbled over to where Arthur was lying on his back. His eyes were closed, and there was a deep wound just to the left of the center of his stomach. "No…." Emrys whispered. He quickly picked Arthur up and put him over his shoulder, carrying him away from the battlefield.

Only minutes later, Leon and a squad of knights came into the area, searching among the dead, but only finding Mordred.

THE FOREST OF ASCETIR, A FEW HOURS LATER…

Merlin, now back in his normal youthful body, stared at Arthur from across the campfire. The young king was still unconscious, and this only steepened Merlin's fears. "Merlin!" Pierce's voice echoed through the camp. Merlin quickly stood up and wiped his tears.

"Over here!" he called back. A few moments later, Pierce, Shin, Terra, and Ava came walking through the brush.

"No….." Pierce whispered right away, laying eyes on Arthur. Merlin nodded sadly. "What do you need us to do?" Pierce asked him. Merlin sighed and looked at him.

"I need someone to fetch Gaius, and I need to know for certain if Morgana is dead." he told him after a moment. Pierce nodded and turned to his group.

"I'll go and fetch Gaius. Shin, can you and Terra find out what you can about Morgana?" he asked them. Shin looked at Terra, who nodded.

"We'll find out what we can, Pierce." Terra told him, smiling at him. Shin looked at Pierce after she finished talking.

"Besides, let's face it. If Morgana's still alive and kicking, Terra will stand the most chance of subduing her out of the four of us." he said. Pierce nodded.

"Point taken. Ava, will you come with me?" he asked. Ava rolled her eyes and glanced at him.

"Why?" she asked him in irritation. He sighed.

"Someone needs to protect Gwen. She's the only leader Camelot has right now." he explained. She turned away from him and was silent for several moments.

"Fine." she finally muttered. Pierce rubbed the back of his neck and turned to Merlin.

"I'll be back as soon as I get Gaius. I won't be long. Terra, Shin, good luck." he told them. Immediately after, he summoned his rider and flew into the air, hesitantly followed by Ava. Shin and Terra disappeared into the woods a few seconds later, leaving Merlin alone with Arthur again.

It wasn't even an hour before Arthur stirred and opened his eyes. "Arthur." Merlin spoke, walking over to him and checking his wound.

"Merlin…..what happened?" Arthur asked him obliviously. Merlin sighed, feeling his tears returning to his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I thought….I thought I made it in time." he whispered sadly. Arthur weakly smiled and shook his head.

"What on earth are you talking about, Merlin?" he asked softly. Merlin swallowed hard and began breathing very rapidly.

"I defeated the Saxons…..the dragon…..and Morgana. I thought I had defied the prophecy." he told him sadly, trying to keep his voice even. Arthur shook his head slowly, still smiling.

"Merlin, the one who defeated the Saxons…..was the sorcerer." he told him firmly. Merlin looked everywhere but Arthur's eyes, because he could not look into the other man's eyes and say what he was about to.

"Arthur…..I have magic." he finally told him, still breathing very rapidly.

**Okay, I decided to extend the Camelot visit to one more chapter because this was a very good cut off point. I would have made the battle longer, but the main point was the final scene. I hope I did everything justice, and I'm letting you all know that I was out of town and still am until Saturday, but I will update whenever I have wifi. As always leave me a review, and check in Saturday or earlier for Chapter 53: The Lake of Avalon! If I get wifi again tonight and I've got more than four reviews by then, I'll post the next chapter, which has already been typed out.**


	53. Ch 53: The Lake of Avalon

**Hey, everyone! As promised, here's the next chapter. But first, shout outs:**

**The Unknowing Herald: I'll probably make bigger ones, but it's not gonna be that big of a deal. The climax of Part 3 begins in Chapter 58 and goes to the end of chapter 59, so it's not that long. Part 4 starts in chapter 60 and goes to the end. I've left plenty of room, don't worry. I completely agree. They should have at least done one full season where Arthur knew and magic was accepted. I feel like the final episode was just completely rushed.**

**Shadowdragon1317: Well it's nothing we haven't seen before, right? Haha.**

**Celeron96: You'll know by the halfway point of this chapter.**

**Gohan Roxas: Again, you'll know by the halfway point, haha. **

**Izumi Natsuno: Don't worry, I don't have any intentions of stopping! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: I'm super psyched for it right now! I can't wait till Christmas, it needs to come out now! Well, this is the last chapter for Camelot!**

**Bezerker21: I know you're trying to help, man. Thanks. Haha, well it's here, a day late but still here!**

**13TheAce: That's pretty much how it was done in the series. Needless to say, I wasn't happy with the final episode, just like the ending to the Robin Hood show.**

**Alright, well you all know what I own, and I hope that the current situation for our heroes is truly a heart wrenching moment for everyone. You know I own Pierce, Marek, Lorans, Soriah, and the rest of the Rikkison family. You should know who Shin, Luriel, and Ava belong to already, so there you go!**

**So here's the last chapter of Camelot! **

Chapter 53: The Lake of Avalon

"I have magic." These words echoed through Arthur's brain, but he did not register them.

"What?" he asked obliviously. Merlin sighed.

"I'm a sorcerer." he whispered. This time, Arthur's eyes opened all the way and he frowned.

"Merlin, you are not a sorcerer, I would know!" he said firmly. Merlin shook his head and turned to their campfire. He slowly held up his hand and focused on the flames. He muttered a quiet and simple incantation. Arthur watched silently as a dragon made of flame appeared within the fire for a few seconds, before vanishing again. Merlin slowly looked back at him. Arthur swallowed hard and looked like he was about to throw up. "Leave me." he said quietly. Merlin looked at him sadly and reached over to check his wound again, but Arthur pushed his hand away. "Just….leave me." he told Merlin venomously. Merlin stood up and walked away sadly as Arthur turned away from him and didn't know what to do.

CAMELOT…..

Pierce and Ava walked through the castle, him still being angrily ignored by her. "Ava, I know you're upset that I can't let things go. But I just need time, please. I have to take out Lorans and find out whatever I can do about Light. I'm still recovering from what happened to Rayne, I just don't want to lose you, as well. If Lorans killed you to get to me, I would never forgive myself." he told her as they walked up toward Arthur's chambers. Ava sighed and halfway glanced at him.

"You just need to decide whether you want me in your life or not, Pierce. I can't do this back and forth crap." she told him simply, walking in front of him and going into the chamber now only occupied by Gwen.

With a sigh and a sorrowful glance, Pierce turned around and walked back the other way to find Gaius.

ARTHUR'S CHAMBER…

"My lady, I'm here to protect you." Ava greeted simply. Gwen raised an eyebrow at her as she sat at the table.

"And why do I need protection? Morgana's army is beaten." she asked her. Ava sighed as she sat at the other end of the table and crossed her legs.

"But Morgana herself is most likely still alive. Until my friends can prove otherwise, I'm your last and best line of defense here." she explained simply. Gwen nodded slowly and looked at her.

"You came with Pierce, didn't you? You two seem like you're very close." she said hintingly. Ava nodded slightly.

"Right now, we're not exactly on the same page." she told her casually. Gwen took a drink from her goblet before answering.

"Ava, my husband is either dead or dying. Trust me, don't spend your time being angry with each other. Treasure the moments that you do have, because they won't last forever." she told her sadly. Ava swallowed hard and didn't answer her.

MEANWHILE….

Merlin had been sitting beside the silent campfire for only a few hours when Pierce returned, Gaius only a few steps behind him. "How is?" Pierce asked him. Merlin sighed.

"He's stable for now, but I don't know what his condition is." he explained. Gaius quickly walked past them and knelt down next to Arthur. Upon a few moments' examination, his worst fears were confirmed.

"The sword that struck him was forged in a dragon's breath, and a shard of the blade is lodged inside him." he told them. Pierce looked at both of them and quickly walked over to Arthur, placing his hand on the unconscious man's chest.

"Cura….." he muttered. The green restorative aura covered Arthur for a few seconds and vanished. Gaius shook his head.

"No spell or potion will heal his wound. He is dying, and quickly. The spell that you just uttered, Pierce, is not strong enough for a mortal wound of any kind, let alone one like this." he told the young Keyblader. Merlin swallowed hard.

"There has to be something that can be done for him!" he exclaimed in disbelief. Gaius looked at him sadly.

"There is nothing more I can do, Merlin. I know nothing else." he told him simply. Merlin shook his head for a few moments and quickly got to his feet. Pierce stood up with him, and Merlin knew the young man was not going to leave his side, so he looked at Gaius.

"Watch over him, Gaius. Please." he asked the old physician. Gaius nodded sadly, and the two young men turned and ran through the forest. Pierce simply followed Merlin, who was looking for a clearing.

Merlin's eyes glowed orange as he began to utter a long and complex incantation. Pierce ducked his head as a powerful gust of wind billowed over his head. No sooner had they reached the clearing than a massive scaled dragon landed in the center of it with a loud thud. Its eyes were orange, and its scales were mostly black in color, but some were still tan colored. "Kilgarrah?" Merlin asked it. The dragon nodded, and to Pierce's great shock, it spoke.

"I am aware of what has transpired in the pass of Camlaan, and of Arthur's fate. Merlin, you must know there is nothing that can be done to heal him." the dragon called Kilgarrah told him.

"But there has to be something I can do!" Merlin argued. Kilgarrah nodded softly.

"You must take Arthur to the Lake of Avalon. Only there can destiny be undone." he told the young man. Merlin looked at him for several moments silently, so Kilgarrah turned to Pierce. "And so this must be the young Rikkison that has been so famous for the last year and a half. You have your father's bearing, and his presence." he told the both of them. Pierce stepped forward.

"You knew my father, as well? I guess he was more famous than I thought, if he was known by even great dragons." he greeted. Kilgarrah nodded slightly.

"I laid low a great score of Heartless in the war against Marek. Merlin saw fit to call me in the middle of the battle to save himself, which is a Dragonlord's privilege." he explained.

"How long does Arthur have to live?" Merlin spoke up. The dragon sighed.

"Two days, no more. Even if you use Pierce's flying contraption, it is almost a day's journey, for you travel through Morgana's land, which is filled with magical defenses. There are points where you will have to go on foot, or horse. If you are you to complete this journey, you must begin it now, Merlin. I am afraid I am of no further help to you." he explained, spreading his wings. A moment later, he flew up into the air and soared away, disappearing over the treetops.

Pierce turned to Merlin. "I'll do whatever I can to help save Arthur's life, but it's your call to make, Merlin." he told him. Merlin nodded and ran back into the forest.

MEANWHILE…..

Terra and Shin quietly crept up onto a ledge overlooking a grassy cliff with a large tree sitting over it. They watched silently as a bloody and weary Morgana thrust a sword into the ground in front of a newly made mound of rocks. "The battle isn't over, Mordred. They will pay for this, we will have our victory." she told the mound furiously.

At that moment, she looked right at them. "Oh sh….." Shin began, but Morgana threw her hand behind her head, and suddenly they were both flung off their ledge and landed on the ground several yards away from her. Shin groaned, having landed on his back, but as soon as Terra had hit the ground, she had rolled onto her feet and begun attacking. She held up her broadsword and blocked one spell from Morgana and quickly countered with an earth spell that shot up from underneath the sorceress' feet and knocked her onto her back. By now, Shin was on his feet and ready to go.

They both cautiously moved toward the fallen Morgana, but neither of them expected her to jump to her feet suddenly and throw both of her arms out toward them. Before either of them could do anything, they flew back into the rock wall of their own ledge and fell to the ground. Morgana angrily turned and walked back toward her horse, heading for Avalon.

CAMELOT…

Gwen, Ava, and Gwaine quickly walked up to the castle entrance as Gaius walked up toward them. "Is he alive?" Gwen asked him immediately.

"He lives, my lady, but his condition is very critical." he told her, she looked behind Gaius as if expecting Arthur to be standing there.

"Well, where is he? We should send out the army, bring him home." she asked him incredulously. Gaius shook his head.

"Merlin and Pierce are more than enough, Gwen. They are heading to the only place where Arthur's life may yet be saved." he informed her. She looked at him with fear in her eyes.

"Merlin? If Morgana's army finds them, I know Pierce can hold his own, but Merlin?" she asked him. Gwaine cleared his throat.

"That raises another point. Gaius, before the battle, I took the two of them to a cave where Merlin said he would find something that would win the battle. Then the fight came, all chaos ensued, and Arthur gets surrounded. Suddenly, Pierce comes charging in while an old sorcerer defeats the army almost single handedly, and yet…..Merlin's nowhere to be found." he said slowly, a smile twitching his lips. Gaius stared at him.

"You'll have to be clearer at what you are hinting at, Gwaine." he said simply. Gwen sighed.

"That sorcerer, Gaius….do we know him?" she asked him. He was silent for a moment, and she gave him a begging look. He finally nodded.

"He'll take good care of Arthur." he told her with a smile. She smiled back, as did Gwaine.

"Yes, I'm sure he will." she replied. Ava stepped up to a nearby window and looked out, thinking of Pierce and how much danger the three of them were in.

FOREST, TRAIL TO AVALON…**(The Bond of Sacrifice, Merlin)**

"You've been lying to me all this time." Arthur muttered weakly from his horse. Merlin and Pierce were both walking, since this was one of the areas that Kilgarrah had mentioned about Pierce's rider.

"We'll stop here for a few hours, then we'll continue on. The horse needs water and rest." Merlin told them. They stopped, and when Merlin went to help Arthur off the horse and was pushed away, Pierce helped him get down silently.

"I'll go get some firewood." he told them. Merlin nodded, and a moment later, Pierce disappeared into the forest. Arthur was now propped against a tree trunk, and Merlin silently walked up and pulled his king's boots off.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked him spitefully, but there was not nearly as much venom in his voice as before. Merlin set the boots next to the fire and looked at him.

"These need drying." he said simply. Arthur rolled his eyes and laid his head back.

"No, I mean, why are you still acting like a servant?" he asked him calmly. Merlin sighed.

"Because I am your servant, dollop head. Now get some rest." he told him.

"I thought I knew you." Arthur mumbled. Merlin smiled slightly.

"You do know me, this is just something about me that you're learning about now." he replied. Arthur grunted and sat up a little straighter.

"You knew this was gonna happen, didn't you? All this…..how?" he asked him. Merlin set the cloth that he was using to wipe Arthur's forehead down next to him and looked at Arthur with a slight smile.

"Some men are born to…..plow fields. Others live to be great physicians, others…..to be great kings. Me? I was born to serve you, Arthur. I'm proud of that, and I wouldn't change a thing." he told him, smiling at his friend. Arthur swallowed and stared at him with a strange look. Not a hateful look, nor an angry look. It was….understanding. **(end Bond of Sacrifice)**

At that moment, Pierce came walking back into camp. "I just got a call from Shin and Terra. Morgana escaped them and she's on her way to Avalon. We have to go now." he told them. Merlin nodded and with Pierce's help managed to get Arthur in a standing position. Pierce quickly flexed his hand and summoned his rider. He quickly jumped on top of it and grasped Arthur's wrist, pulling him onto the back. Merlin warily stood half crouched on the very back after releasing the horse, which ran off into the forest.

"EMRYS!" screamed a familiar voice.

"Get in the air, now!" Merlin yelled. Pierce nodded and quickly rose the rider into the air, wasting no time in flying toward their destination and putting as much distance as possible between them and Morgana.

AN HOUR LATER…..

As Avalon neared on the horizon, Merlin noticed Arthur starting to slip away, his head lolling to the side. "Merlin….." he heard the other man say over the noise of the rider.

"Arthur, hang on! We're almost there!" he yelled, wrapping an arm around Arthur's torso to help him hang on.

"Merlin!" Pierce suddenly screamed. Merlin turned around to see a ball of blue fire soaring right for them. Pierce managed to swerve at the last second and saved Merlin, but the ball of fire hit him dead on.

"Pierce!" Merlin yelled. Pierce fought to stay conscious as the rider unstably glided toward the ground, still nearing Avalon, the lake being only a few minutes walk now. Merlin grimaced and held onto Arthur as tight as he could to stop the weakened man from falling.

The rider crashed into the ground and skidded forward several dozen yards before Pierce flew off the front, flipping through the air and landing on his back close to the shore of Avalon lake. Merlin sighed as he looked up. Arthur was lying a few feet away from him. As soon as he got up and stepped off the toppled rider, it vanished. He quickly drew Excalibur from the sheath on Arthur's side, but immediately felt himself thrown through the air.

Arthur sighed and managed to roll onto his back. Morgana calmly walked up to him and looked at him victoriously. "Hello, dear brother. Don't worry, I won't let you die alone. I'll stay here and watch you die, and until the crows eat your corpse. Then Camelot shall finally be mine." she told him. Arthur tried to say something, but found the effort too much to bear. Morgana smiled and stared at him.

"Just one problem in that plan." said a voice behind her. Morgana slowly turned around to see who had spoken, and saw Pierce for a split second.

"Me." he told her as his fist collided with her face. Morgana stumbled backward, away from Arthur. Pierce angrily stepped forward with his Keyblade backhand and ready. "You really need to learn when to quit, lady!" he told her in exasperation. She frowned angrily at him.

"Never!" she yelled at him. He sighed and raised his Keyblade.

"Fine, let's go then." he told her calmly. **(Enter the Darkness, Birth by Sleep, couldn't find a stupid battle song so if you've got a better one use it.)**

For several moments, Morgana just stared at him. Pierce glared back at her while glancing at Arthur, who was paler than before and clutching his side. With that, Morgana held her arm out and sent a wave of fire at him. Pierce aimed his Keyblade at it and cast a blast of ice that went right into the middle of it, creating an explosion.

As Morgana prepared to cast another spell, Pierce came leaping out of the smoke with his Keyblade raised over his head. He brought it crashing down on where she was standing, but she managed to side step it and summoned a black sword to her hand. She yelled in fury as she swung toward Pierce's head, but he raised his right forearm up, blocking it with his gauntlet.

Morgana screamed angrily and twirled it, slicing Pierce in the side and cutting through his vest and shirt. Pierce reached down and felt the warmth of his own blood and clenched his fist angrily. He charged again, swinging his blade while Morgana cast another spell.

Pierce quickly dove and rolled under a bolt of lightning that would have struck his torso. He kept his footing and ran up, swinging his sword with all his might and slamming it against Morgana's who managed to block barely. He pushed her back, knocking her off balance. He pressed his advantage and quickly ran up again, kicking her feet out sideways and twisting the sword out of her hand. She fell to the ground, and he stood calmly, holding both blades at her throat. She glared death at him, and suddenly touched the ground near his feet.

Before he could even move, a pillar of earth rose up, knocking him into the air. He lost grip on both weapons and fell back down to the ground, landing on his back. He slowly got back on his feet, only to be shoved back into a tree with a thunder spell cast by Morgana. He hit the tree trunk, and slowly slid down to his backside. His vision was swimming, so he couldn't trust his eyesight. He managed to see Morgana walking toward Arthur, her sword in hand. "Now where were we, dear brother?" she asked him. Arthur stared at her, no fear in his eyes. He simply pointed behind her. She rolled her eyes. "I've already taken care of the Rikkison, for the moment. Now there is no one to ruin the moment….." she told him.

"You're wrong again, Morgana." this time it was Merlin who spoke, appearing behind her. Before she could move, he drove Excalibur through her back. **(end Enter the Darkness)**

Morgana gasped in shock and pain, still staring at Arthur with hatred until Merlin calmly withdrew Excalibur. She fell to the ground with one last breath and was still. "Merlin….." Arthur muttered. Merlin quickly ran over to him. "You've….you've brought peace to this land, Merlin…..finally." he whispered. Merlin smiled at him and quickly hoisted him up. **(Merlin Lost, Merlin)**

Pierce managed to get to his feet, but was still holding his head as he walked over to help them get Arthur down to the water. "C'mon, Arthur. We're here." Merlin told him. Arthur sighed and shook his head as his legs would not support him any more.

"That's it. I can't go any more." he said simply.

"Arthur, we're here. You just have to get down to the water!" Pierce told him. Arthur shook his head.

"I can't make it. My time has come. Pierce, thank you for everything. Can you please give us a moment?" he said. Pierce swallowed hard and looked at Merlin, who nodded gravely. Pierce then turned and walked down the shore, away from them.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, tears forming in his eyes. Arthur turned his head far enough to see his friend and servant.

"Merlin, there's….something I want to say. Something I've never said to you before. All the things you've done…..thank you." he whispered harshly. Merlin began crying at this point.

"Arthur….." he whispered. Arthur sighed and slowly closed his eyes. His head fell to the side, and Merlin knew he was gone. "Arthur!" he screamed. He screamed as loud as he could and angrily muttered an incantation. In only a few moments, Kilgarrah descended from the sky and looked at him sadly.

"Merlin, nothing can be done. He is gone." the dragon told him. Merlin shook his head.

"I can't lose him! He's my friend!" he yelled. Kilgarrah sighed.

"Merlin, this is not the end. Arthur is not just the king of Camelot. He is the Once and Future king. When Albion's need is greatest, Arthur will rise again." he explained. Merlin stared at him in shock.

"Kilgarrah…." he began, but the dragon shook his head. **(end Merlin Lost)**

"Though no man, no matter how great, can know his destiny, some lives have already been foretold, Merlin. It has been a privilege knowing you, young warlock. The story that we have been a part of…..will live long, in the minds of men." he said softly, turning to leave.

"Wait, Kilgarrah!" Merlin yelled, but the dragon flew away into the clouds, never to be seen again.

SEVERAL MINUTES LATER….

With Pierce standing by to witness this, recently joined by Shin and Terra, Merlin pushed the boat bearing Arthur's body out into the water, watching it until it disappeared. **(Finale, Sword in the Stone, more specifically 6:00 mark, Merlin)**

Merlin looked down at Excalibur, which he was holding in his hand. He then looked out at the water for several moments, sadness still in his eyes. He breathed deeply, and slowly raised the sword back and threw it with all the strength in his arm. The sword spun in the air and twirled as it soared over the water, heading for the center of the lake. All four of them watched in awe as a long and muscular arm suddenly reached out of the waves and caught it by the hilt. The arm(they all knew it belonged to Arthur) then slowly sunk back into the water, now holding Excalibur, to be put to rest until the time of his foretold revival. **(end Finale)**

CLEARING OUTSIDE CAMELOT, A DAY LATER…

"Where will you go from here?" Pierce asked Merlin, who was standing just outside their ship. Merlin shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm not sure yet. I've been thinking about going into the messenger business, delivering news and letters and that kind of stuff. Thank you, Pierce, for everything." he replied. Pierce smiled sadly and nodded.

"A great loss to us all, most definitely." he said. Merlin nodded.

"Well, it's time I was on my way. I won't be returning to Camelot, there's nothing left for me there but sadness filled faces and suspicious glares. But be sure, Pierce, Gwen will support Arthur's stand in the war against Lorans. You won't lose the Camelot army." he told him. Pierce nodded, pulling Merlin into a hug.

"You take care of yourself, Merlin. Our battle isn't over yet. We may still need you, Emrys." he told him. Merlin somewhat smiled at hearing the name.

"I prefer Merlin. Emrys sounds too….wise." he replied with a slight chuckle. Pierce smiled back at him as he stepped inside the ship.

"Good luck then, Merlin." he told them. Merlin waved as the ship rose into the air, and as it disappeared into the sky, he turned and began walking back through the forest.

LE SHIP, LANES BETWEEN….

"Ven, how's the search for the Maenad coming along?" Pierce asked as he walked into the cabin. Terra and Shin were sitting at the table watching Soriah, Ven was piloting(having returned from Baron to pick them up), and Ava was standing off to the side.

"Cecil has us running scarce across the city, but Marek thinks she's somewhere else. He's been covering the most ground, which is predictable, considering he can use those dark portals. Lulu and Kain are searching too, but we haven't accomplished much." Ven explained. Pierce nodded.

"Well, let the others know we're almost there. Give them a heads up." he told him calmly. Ven nodded, and Pierce walked back to where Ava was standing.

"Pierce….." she began, her eyes still red from crying.

"I know, Ava, and I'm sorry. I've been so selfish about everything ever since Rayne. I almost lost the one thing left in this world that I still love: you. Please forgive me." he told her softly, tears forming in his eyes. Ava smiled sadly, and reached up, pulling his face toward her and they shared a silent, solemn kiss. Ven glanced back to say something to him, and upon seeing what was happening, quickly cleared his throat and turned back to the controls.

Terra and Shin glanced at them and smiled, but chuckled as Soriah turned around to see them. He pointed at them and screwed up his face. "Ewwwwww!" he said in his toddler voice. Pierce and Ava immediately broke apart as everyone in the cabin started laughing.

**Well, Arthur is dead, and me being one that has seen the actual series ending, it was unbelievably hard to write! But still, only two more "worlds" before the final battles begin. One is Baron, and the other one is top secret! Sorry about my weird and random absence, blame my parents for planning a camping trip when we're having pouring rain all week…**

**But leave a review, and those who have read Draconian Light, Herald should have it finished very very soon, so be on the look out! See ya later!**


	54. Ch 54: Wrath of the Maenad

**Hey, guys. I'm not in the best headspace right now, but I figured I'd give you a chapter nonetheless. Shout outs:**

**The Unknowing Herald: I wasn't as ticked off by Arthur's death as I was Gwaine's. I mean Gwaine's was completely random, with absolutely no purpose or draw out towards. Thanks!**

**Celeron96: Thanks, and I was just staying true to the series. Nope, but good guess! **

**Bezerker21: I'm right there with ya, haha! Thanks, and I actually have kinda gotten used to them writing this story. If I wasn't by now, I would be by the end for sure!**

**Shadowdragon1317: What exactly was different about mine from the actual one, haha? Thanks!**

**Izumi Natsuno: Ha, dang it, you remembered! Tragedy and Romance in the same chapter, yep! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Yep, it was 4500 words actually, one of my longest other than Draconian Light! You wanna talk about it? I'll help if I can! I did as soon as I could!**

**13TheAce: I still feel bad for him, though. Yep, they're a happy couple…for now!**

**So I own Pierce, Marek, Lorans, and Soriah. The rest of the dead people I own you know already. Ava, Luriel, and Shin are the property of their respective authors(you know who you are). Enjoy the first half of Baron!**

Chapter 54: Wrath of the Maenad

Pierce gently set Soriah down in his little crib/play area as Ven guided the ship down to a landing in a clearing near the castle gates of Baron. "Take him with us. Rosa can watch him while we do what we need to." Ven told him. Pierce sighed, having just put him down and picked him back up.

"You couldn't have said that a few seconds ago?" he asked, slightly irritated. Ven shrugged his shoulders and walked outside, followed by Shin and Terra. Ava stayed behind and smiled at him as she took Soriah from his arms. Pierce smiled back and walked outside with her at his side.

BARON CASTLE, THRONE ROOM…..

"Cecil." Pierce greeted as they walked into the room. The king of baron nodded in his direction as his son Ceodore backed away to let them talk. Golbez stood in the corner, silently watching.

"Pierce, thank you for coming, and thank you for sending who you could ahead of you to help with the search for this Maenad. She has proven elusive enough to avoid all detection by my own scouts." he greeted. Pierce nodded as his group members went to sit at a table to the side of the room.

"I hope my companions have been helpful." he replied. Cecil smiled and nodded.

"Ventus and Luriel have covered the local town and the surrounded villages, and Kain knows the land like his own lance, so he's covered a great deal of ground. But the one that we have to thank the most is your uncle, Marek. Though I am still somewhat wary of his use of darkness, it has allowed him to cover unbelievable distances across the planet in search of her. I sent Edge and Rydia to protect the outlying villages several weeks ago, and there is no sign of her there, either." he explained. Pierce nodded.

"Well, we'll definitely do what we can, I promise. But after we've dealt with this threat, we need you and the forces of Baron to help us against Lorans. This is the last thing standing in our way." he told him. Cecil nodded.

"You know I support you, Pierce, even into death." he assured him solemnly. Pierce nodded, and at that moment a dark portal appeared right in the middle of the room. Marek silently stepped out of it, looking no worse for wear.

"Well, I don't where you morons have been searching, but I found her." he announced casually. Every head in the room instantly turned to him.

"What happened, uncle?" Pierce asked him as Ven, Ava, Shin, and Terra walked over to them. Golbez, Ceodore, and Cecil watched from the front of the room and listened silently.

"I found her, and I took a chunk of her power, too. I definitely wounded her a little bit, no thanks to you all. She attacked the outer villages and destroyed everything in her path. Edge and Rydia are missing." he told them. Most of those around them gasped in horror. Cecil instead simply stood up, looking at Ava.

"Miss Haburke, I suggest you let my wife take care of the toddler. I think you're going to need both free hands." he told her as Ceodore stepped forward. Ava smiled at him and handed him Soriah. Ceodore nodded and quickly left the room to take it to his mother.

"She's heading for the city. Kain and Lulu were securing the front gates when I last saw them." Marek told them as they all readied their weapons and ran out of the room, heading for the entrance.

"Do we know what she's after?" Cecil asked as they ran down the castle hallways. Marek raised an eyebrow.

"Yep. You." he said simply. Cecil stopped for a moment to glance at him, but by this time they had reached the front gates. They stopped at the sight before them. Most of Baron was already burning.

In the distance, they saw a massive creature destroying everything in its way. It was something that Ven had seen Yuna summon many years ago, except this time it looked different. Though the version Ven had seen was a broad shouldered black dragon, this dragon was slender with red flaming eyes. But there was no mistaking the resemblance as Bahamut rained fire on the city. "She can summon eidolons?!" Ceodore groaned.

"Any useful tips on how to fight her?" Pierce asked Marek as they all readied their weapons.

"Sure, don't get killed." he replied simply. Pierce rolled his eyes as they prepared to charge the beast.

That was when something began attacking Bahamut from the lower city, beyond their line of sight. Suddenly, a blue speck shot upward and struck Bahamut across the face. A moment later, they saw someone climbing the dragon and stabbing what looked like sickles into its back. "Kain and Lulu!" Ava exclaimed happily.

"C'mon, let's take it down!" Pierce yelled, urging his group forward. As Ava and Ven jumped off the balcony and landed on their riders, Golbez grabbed onto Cecil and Ceodore and vanished instantly. Terra immediately changed into Esper form so she could fly and held out a hand to Shin, who held it tightly. She then launched into the air and headed for the dragon, leaving Pierce and Marek alone. The white haired man summoned a dark portal, and they both disappeared through it.

LOWER CITY…

**(FFIV Battle 2, Dissidia version)**

No sooner had Pierce and Marek appeared right over Bahamut than Kain and Lulu went flying away from it, hit by one the dragon's massive claws. Pierce held his Keyblade out as he descended toward the flying dragon's back. Marek meanwhile branched off to catch the falling Lulu while Kain spun in the air and dashed back toward Bahamut.

Pierce landed on the dragon's back and immediately impaled his blade into the flesh. His attack was somewhat protected by the hard scales, but he still pierced the dragon's body. Bahamut roared angrily and rolled sideways, trying to throw him off.

Marek reached Lulu and spun in the air, throwing her back up. The green haired girl held her sickles ready as she neared the dragon again. However, she had to quickly block as the dragon swung a claw at her. She blocked the talons, but began to fall again. Hardly a second later, Ava swooped in on her rider, catching her and soaring up into the sky. The rest of the group had arrived.

Ven soared in, spinning his rider and smacking the dragon's face. Bahamut reared back and let loose a stream of fire. Ven quickly swerved and swooped out of the way while Terra flew in and dropped Shin, who landed next to where Pierce was trying to hang on. She then quickly circled around the dragon and peppered him with fire and ice spells. Bahamut roared and soared up into the sky, all the while spinning to throw off his attackers. Shin and Pierce held on as best they could, but with one last violent shake, the dragon shook them off.

Pierce quickly spun as he fell through the air, turning on his stomach before summoning his rider. He waited a moment and Shin landed behind him. "Let's get back up there!" he yelled. Pierce nodded and whirled his rider around, chasing after the dragon, who was now orbiting the city.

Meanwhile, the others were keeping him busy. Golbez flew through the air, keeping the dragon's attention while Terra and Ava flew around his head and cast unrelenting spells at him. Lulu leaped off of Ava's rider and landed on his face, plunging both of her sickles into his forehead. Bahamut roared and swatted at her. She quickly drew them out and ran up his back, causing him to smack himself in the face, only increasing his rage. For the first time, he turned and got a good look at Terra. The girl in Esper form readied to swing her Apocalypse at him, but he didn't attack her. "What's going on?" she asked out loud. Bahamut stared at her, his unusual red eyes narrowing at the sight of her. Then, he turned and continued attacking the others.

Cecil and Kain soared down simultaneously and struck him in the head together. Marek appeared in the sky with outstretched arms. He let out a thunderous roar as his eyes turned yellow and darkness surrounded him. A moment later, a massive blast of darkness shot forth from his hands and rocketed downward toward the dragon's back. Bahamut was too slow to dodge the attack, and went crashing to the ground as a result. Marek smirked as he let himself free fall to the downed dragon.

Ceodore, Lulu, Ava, Ven, and Golbez were already on the ground attacking Bahamut, who was temporarily dazed. Pierce swooped in and dropped Shin on the ground, who was joined by Terra a moment later. Within seconds, both groups were on the ground, surrounding the dragon. As they all attacked simultaneously, Bahamut suddenly stood up and roared, sending most of them flying off their feet. Only Golbez, Cecil, Kain, Marek, and Pierce managed to hold their footing, the last only because of Marek holding him at the last second. "Fools! I am a god all my own! Do you sincerely believe that a handful of Keybladers and other miscellaneous fighters can defeat me!?" he roared as he took to the skies again. Almost immediately, he crashed back down, however. He was too weak to fly at this point. **(end Battle 2)**

From the walls of the city, the young woman who resembled Rydia glared in anger at them. She held up her hand, and Bahamut instantly soared up into the sky and vanished against his own will. "This is completely illogical! There is no explanation for you inferior beings having the strength to defeat a being such as Bahamut!" she screamed angrily. The group, those who could fly or move at very fast speeds, immediately went right for her.

Naturally, Marek got there first, appearing behind her through a portal, but she had seen it coming. As soon as he stepped forward to attack her, she kicked him in the face, making him stumble backwards off the wall. He only fell for a couple seconds before he impaled his Keyblade in the wall, however.

Terra came flying in swinging her broadsword, but the Maenad held up a hand, blocking her with an invisible barrier. She flexed her hand, sending Terra flying back into a building. Golbez, Pierce, Ven, and Ava got there next and surrounded her. They stared her down as Marek climbed back to the top and held up his own Keyblade. By the time everyone else(including Terra) had gotten there, she knew she was outmatched.

But instead of showing signs of fear, she simply smirked. "It would seem my moment of triumph will have to wait. I am perfectly content to wait a few night cycles, I assure you!" she screamed, holding her hand up in the air as it glowed chaotically.

"Everybody down!" Kain yelled, everyone following his instructions. A tidal wave suddenly engulfed them, but it had no power behind it, and it did not send any of them off their feet. But as the vapor began to fade around them, now completely drenched, a massive form could be seen coming toward them.

"She's gone!" Shin yelled angrily, standing where the Maenad had just been.

"She's sent Leviathan to buy her time to evade us." Golbez told them calmly.

"Enough with the damn Eidolons!" Pierce yelled irritably. They spread out atop the wall as the sea dragon called Leviathan swam through the air toward them.

"By the time we've dealt with it, she'll be out of our range again!" Ven yelled. Kain nodded after exchanging a glance with Cecil.

"Well unless something unexpected happens, we have no choice as of now." he replied.

"You called?!" yelled a voice. Kain rolled his eyes.

"Of course, now they choose to make themselves known." he muttered in mild amusement. Edge came leaping out of the fog with a smirk on his face. At the same time, the fog immediately vanished, showing the path to where Leviathan was coming. Standing down on the road about halfway between them was Rydia, her face calm and determined as the sea dragon rocketed toward her.

She held up her hand and spoke in a commanding voice. "Stop. I am your true master." she told it with no hesitation in her voice. As if reaching the end of its leash, Leviathan threw back its head, being allowed to go no further. "Now go. Do not return until I have summoned you." Rydia told it. Leviathan nodded its massive head and exhaled, letting out a massive amount of fog again, obscuring it from view. When the fog faded, it was gone.

A FEW MINUTES LATER, CECIL'S THRONE ROOM…..

"You sure took your time." Kain told the two of them. Edge and Rydia smiled calmly.

"We had to get the village refugees out of harm's way first. We knew you and the LE could handle the city." Edge commented. Pierce cleared his throat.

"Not to interrupt your conversation, but my group and I want to know just what the hell that was back there." he said, looking pointedly at Rydia. For whatever reason, Marek narrowed his eyes at Pierce and showed a look of irritation. But after a moment, it was gone. Rydia turned to Pierce and shrugged her shoulders.

"While you all were fighting Bahamut, I took it upon myself to find some information on the Maenad. She's the last of her kind, who were all based off of me, the last Summoner of our world. That's why she can summon the Eidolons, who thought her to be me. But obviously, as we saw with Leviathan, they mistook her for me, so I can turn her own weapons against her." she explained. Pierce nodded as Cecil stood up from his throne.

"This threat has gone on long enough. We have to end it now. Those of you who are able, from the LE and from my friends, we all need to go after this Maenad and take her down for good." he announced. Pierce nodded.

"Well, my entire group is ready and able. The only question is how many of yours are." he said. Cecil nodded.

"Ceodore is still getting patched up. He took a few hits against Bahamut. And I am staying behind so as not to leave the city completely undefended. My wife Rosa will take care of Sora's son until you get back, I promise." he told them. Rydia raised an eyebrow.

"Well without me, you won't last against her and all her Eidolons. So you know Edge and I are tagging along." she told Pierce, putting a hand on her hip. He smiled.

"Well, I'm definitely not gonna stop you. Golbez stepped forward.

"Then we should get underway." he said simply. With that, everyone began to move toward the door. Pierce, however, felt a hand gently but firmly clutch his shoulder, stopping him from leaving. He looked back to find Marek looking down at him with a serious expression. After everyone was out of the hallway, Marek led him out of the throne room for a minute alone.

"What is it, uncle?" Pierce asked him seriously. Marek stared at him evenly.

"Pierce, I know you've been struggling with everything that happened six months ago, losing your sister, and everything, but…." he began before Pierce angrily cut him off.

"Marek, I'm already being doubted by most of the group, don't tell me what you think I should be doing and how I should be grieving." he told him angrily. Marek raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes.

"Pierce Alexander Rikkison." he said simply but dangerously. Pierce gulped and immediately dropped the attitude. Despite being seventeen now and going through everything he had, he knew he had better listen to what his usually casual uncle wanted to say. Not since his father's death had an adult called him by his full name.

"Yes, uncle?" he asked in a much more polite voice. Marek exhaled quietly before speaking.

"I know I'm not your father, and I know before all of this happened you and I were never close, but I know how your father raised you and taught you to act. You've been using a lot of language lately that I know neither your father or mother would have tolerated, no matter the circumstances." he said solemnly. Pierce immediately let his attitude come back and rolled his eyes.

"Wake up, Marek! We're in a war! My parents and Rayne are DEAD! I'm my own man now, so I'll make my own decisions!" he yelled. Marek took several deep breaths, and it would have been obvious to anyone but Pierce that the white haired man was doing his best to control his own temper.

"Despite the circumstances, with both of your parents, Jason, and even Rayne out of the picture, you are still under age. That would make me the closest thing you have to a parent." he replied. Pierce looked at the wall.

"What's your point?" he asked. Marek gently grabbed his shoulder and forced the stubborn teen to look at him.

"I'm not your father and I never will be, but you will respect his memory. I won't hesitate to be a parent to you in front of the group if you keep stepping on his legacy. He always wanted you to be better than this, and so help us both, you will be." he told him firmly. Pierce felt his attitude vanish right away. After several moments, in which Marek waited for a response, he nodded respectfully.

"I will be." he finally promised. Marek nodded, still not smiling at all.

"Good, now let's go find the others and take out this annoying Maenad." he said, letting go of Pierce's shoulder and letting him lead the way out.

**I really struggled with this chapter, hence why it took so long since my last update. So this is what it feels like to have writer's block, haha! I hope the last scene wasn't anything unbelievable, I just wanted to show how much Marek notices and hint at the true relationship that he and Jack had during the years of peace after RTDoD, and that he really is the closest thing to a parent that Pierce has at this point. One more chapter of Baron, then we go to the secret world, and then the final stretch already!**


	55. Ch 55: Baron's Final Light

**Hey, everyone. We all know we want to get to the secret "world", so let's just get to business and through the chapter! Shout outs: **

**Legionary Prime: It's fine man. That's how long it took me to write it anyway. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Thanks. After we finish this world, I should be good for the rest of the story. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Thanks, I never did show the relationship that developed between the two brothers over the fifteen years between this and RTDoD. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Could be, but it's not a "world" per say. Other than Ven and Kain, yeah Marek pretty much is the only parent figure since Rayne. I'm getting to it, I promise!**

**Celeron96: Thanks, and well apparently he would! **

**Bezerker21: Oh, you're that confident, huh? Haha, well you'll find out eventually. **

**So you know what I own and you that Shin, Luriel, and Ava are the property of their respective owners. Enjoy! **

Chapter 55: Baron's Final Light

RADIANT GARDEN, COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS…**(Lorans' Theme{False King, Two Steps from Hell})**

Lorans calmly but swiftly walked through the castle that had once belonged to him and his allies. Now only he and Braig remained. For the longest time, he had second guesses his own decision to send Xehanort to his death, but he knew the old man deserved nothing less. Over the past six months, he had done away with the false idea of a council that ruled the worlds as one body.

He had risen as the sole dictator of all of the worlds not lead by former council members, namely Camelot, Gaia, Spira, Nottingham, Baron, and the remnant of the Disney Kingdom residents. But none of that was in his mind as he descended to the lower levels and headed for the lowest holding area.

As soon as he walked into the darkness filled room, someone within groaned weakly. As Lorans stepped inside, lights immediately began to ignite and illuminate the rather large room. Despite being almost as large as the council meeting chamber, there was only one thing in the room: a bloody and ragged figure in the center of the room, chained to the walls and floor. His brown hair was way past its normal length and Sora had a beard of his own growing wild on his face. "I've already told you all you need to know." he muttered weakly. Lorans' face(what could be seen of it) curled into a smirk as he walked up and stood in front of him.

"I think not." he replied simply. Sora shook his head and looked back at the floor.

"Go to hell." he muttered. Lorans knelt down and spoke, his hooded face inches from Sora's.

"The future I came from was very reminiscent of that." he told him, reaching out and grabbing hold of the other man's hair and forcing him to stand up. "Now you will tell me exactly where their camp is." he said venomously. Sora grimaced in pain, but sighed.

"I can't tell you what I don't know. I already told you which of their allies to go after, that's all I know!" he replied loudly. Lorans just shook his head slightly.

"Well if you're still hoping for a rescue, then know it won't be coming. This pathetic LE is even more desperate than the old one, and by the time they realize you are still alive, they will be my prisoners, as well." he said, letting go of Sora's hair and turning for the door.

"Lorans, what are you talking about?!" Sora yelled after him. Lorans stopped and turned back to him, smirking.

"You haven't guessed what my plan is to bring low the second LE yet? I would have thought it to be obvious…." he said, snapping his fingers. Instantly, light flooded into the farthest corners of the room, where shapes began to move and walk toward their master. Sora couldn't see them until they walked past him, but he almost passed out from shock. Lorans nodded happily as the many figures formed a rank behind him, consisting of two lines.

Each of the figures looked different, just like how they had before all of this happened, but something was off. Every one of their eyes were completely white, and their clothes had faded in color, only retaining a small amount of their former shades. Each of them held what looked like a black version of the Kingdom Key in their hands instead of their original weapons, but other than that, they looked the same. Sora swallowed hard and shook his head in disbelief at the scene before him. Lorans smiled and gestured around him.

"Beautiful, aren't they? My plan to destroy the remaining Keybladers won't be stopped so easily this time around. This time they will not only suffer the loss of a traitor and a single member of their group. This time, they will fall, and if not, they will be shattered." he told him. Sora stared at all the familiar faces, but he knew his friends were no longer there in those bodies.

Occupying the back row were Lea, Roxas, Xion, Eraqus, Jason, and Aqua. Standing in the front row right behind Lorans were Kairi(to Sora's greatest horror), Riku, Mist, Terra, and finally, Jack. Each of them emptily stared at him with their pure white eyes and aimlessly stood behind Lorans as if they had no greater purpose than to do his bidding.

"Pierce's group has wondered why no bodies were found in the Keyblade Graveyard or Jason's tower, but only I and now you know the truth. These empty puppets will do my bidding when Pierce makes himself known. Only when all of his companions are felled that I stand a chance of destroying him and Light along with it." Lorans explained. Sora shook his head in disgust.

"Lorans, you are sick and twisted." he said simply, staring long at Kairi's empty eyes. Lorans smirked as he turned for the door, his puppets turning, as well.

"We will see how long you choose to think that, little bystander." he replied as he walked out of the room. **(end Lorans' Theme)**

MEANWHILE, BARON, CANYON JUST BEYOND THE CITY BORDERS…

The group moved at different speeds. Those who could fly searched and covered more ground than those who couldn't, but all of them were doing what they could to try and locate the Maenad. "Does anybody have any idea where she would be recuperating at?!" Pierce exclaimed after many hours of searching.

His entire group, along with Golbez, Edge, and Rydia all shook their heads. "Such an inferior species, to not even have the skill to hunt me." the Maenad appeared on a cliff far above them.

"Another cliff, really?!" Shin yelled irritably, thinking back to Camlaan. The Maenad coldly glared down at all of them.

"Only one among you is a superior species, and worthy of escaping extinction. The Half-Esper!" she called out. Everyone instantly looked at Terra, who stepped forward cautiously. "I have plans for you, and you alone. The rest of your group, those inferior humans, shall perish here, soon to be followed by the rest of their pathetic race!" she coldly stated. Shin immediately stepped in front of Terra, his Lightbringer in his hand.

"Over my dead body!" he yelled angrily. The Maenad showed no expression as she raised her hand.

"If you have taken it upon yourself to be first, then so be it." she said simply as the group readied their weapons. **(Mysterious Girl Battle Music, FFIV TAY)**

In one motion, she lightly leaped off the cliff and rocketed toward the ground. Before her feet hit the ground, she flexed her hand sent Ven and Edge flying off their feet, who were already charging her. Ven flew back along the cliff wall and stuck his blade into the rock to try and stop himself. Edge simply flipped backward and ran down the cliff wall to come back at her, drawing his swords.

The Maenad glanced over at where the main body of the group was and looked up at the sky for a second. Instantly, a meteor appeared overhead and rocketed down toward them. Pierce turned to Marek, who backed into a dark portal and quickly followed him in. Golbez teleported away from it, but the rest of them weren't as skilled. Kain dashed away, of course, but everyone else quickly scattered to dodge it, and many were still caught in the blast.

Lulu went flying toward the canyon wall, but managed to turn and throw one of her sickles at the Maenad before she hit the wall, but the woman blocked it easily. At the same time, most of the other group was dazed from the powerful spell. The Maenad smirked as Golbez reappeared in front of her, swiftly followed by Rydia and Terra, who looked back to see Shin slumped against a massive boulder, clutching his head. A portal opened up in the sky, and Pierce jumped out and landed next to the three of them while Marek instead went back to check on everyone else.

The Maenad stared at them evenly as they all circled her cautiously, before throwing her arms toward them and glowing white for several moments. "She's casting Holy!" Rydia yelled. Terra and Pierce charged, swinging their blades, but clashed against an invisible barrier.

"What can we do?!" Pierce yelled. Rydia narrowed her eyes.

"I'll summon my own meteor, but it might not be enough to overtake her spell!" she yelled, putting her arms up. A few moments later, a second meteor appeared, this time coming down over the Maenad's head. By this time, she was almost at the point of casting it. But when the meteor got close to her, it met a barrier hovering overtop of her. Rydia cursed, knowing her power alone wouldn't break through it. She looked to Golbez, who was standing by, watching. "Golbez, give your power to Meteor!" she yelled. Golbez looked at her and grunted.

"Very well." he calmly replied, throwing up his arms. Electricity began to flow around the meteor, and it broke into several small boulders that finally penetrated the barrier. The boulders circled the Maenad for several moments, interrupting her. She stopped her spell and stared at Golbez and Rydia as the boulders connected again and seemingly crushed her.

But as they all sighed and looked at each other, the meteor broke apart, and she stepped out, calmly raising her arms and throwing Pierce and Golbez away from her. Terra and Rydia readied themselves as she floated up into the air and cast another powerful spell. "It's not over yet! You will be mine, Terra Branford. A being born half-Eidolon can guarantee me victory over the inferior species known as humans! Once I've dealt with your friends, I shall take you and breed you with the Eidolons to make an army so fierce that they will not stand a chance! I shall make a superior species with you….and what better way to do that than with the god of Eidolons?!" she yelled coldly. Both women gasped as Bahamut came soaring down out of the sky again.

"Bring me the girl!" the Maenad yelled to him. Bahamut roared and soared down, hitting the ground and staring at Terra from mere feet away. Something shown in his red eyes, and he hesitated in carrying out his orders. Terra was taken aback by the indecision in the creature that had attacked the city, but only for a moment as Rydia stepped in front of her with determination in her voice.

"Bahamut, you are no mortal's servant! Why have you lowered yourself to serving at the beckon of someone such as this?!" she yelled to him. Bahamut turned and looked at her for several silent moments.

Then, something happened that none but Rydia could have expected. Bahamut's eyes turned blue, losing the eerie red color. He then instantly whirled around and stared at the Maenad, opening his mouth, which began to glow with blue power. The Maenad finally showed a sign of surprise as she fearfully held up her hand. "Reflect….." she muttered hopelessly. A second later, Bahamut angrily roared and let loose his devastating Mega Flare attack against his former master. **(end Mysterious Girl Music)**

As the smoke cleared and the rest of the group walked back up finally, they saw the Maenad weakly stirring in a massive crater made by the dragon's attack. Bahamut emptily stared at her, as did most of the group. But Rydia, quickly followed by Edge, walked down toward her. "Why do even Eidolons and beings such as you decide to side with the humans, an inferior form of life?" she weakly questioned Terra, reaching out a hand to her, standing at the top of the crater. But it was Rydia who answered.

"The bond between a Summoner and an Eidolon is born through trust, not hatred." she explained. Terra then walked down toward them, Shin right behind her and Pierce behind him.

"I do what my heart leads me to. Love carries me through everything." Terra explained to the Maenad, who still had an uncomprehending look on her face. Pierce walked up and knelt by her.

"You throw away your own heart and try to make up for it with logic. Love is the one emotion, the one thing, that makes us humans stronger." he told her with a slight smile. Finally, she nodded and showed a peaceful, calm expression.

"Thank you, Rikkison, for granting me understanding. I am…satisfied now knowing what my species lacked. You may end my existence now." she told him calmly. Everyone was taken aback by her final comment. But Rydia was the first to realize the potential in this misled woman(even though she clearly was not human). She knelt down in front of her and smiled.

"It doesn't have to end this way, you know. You could come back with me. I can give you a home and a new life filled with emotions, and love." she told her kindly. Edge quickly backed her up.

"She's right. We would love for you to come live with us." he said, placing a hand on Rydia's shoulder. The Maenad looked at them with surprise on her face.

"You would…..forgive me? After everything I've done? Why?" she asked them. Rydia smiled sympathetically.

"It's not your fault, what you've done. You're the last of your kind, and those doctrines were forced into you. You alone have been given a second chance, and I can tell that you have a want to learn about emotions and hearts. And because of that, I can give you a new life and a new name: Cuore, a name itself meaning heart." she explained. The Maenad slowly looked up at Rydia, unknown emotions being told to her, and meanings beyond her current comprehension, but she knew this was a new beginning for her.

"Cuore…" she whispered to herself.

BARON, CECIL'S THRONE ROOM, A WHILE LATER…..

"Pierce, I can't thank you enough for your help." Cecil said once again. Pierce shook his head.

"Without Rydia, I don't think things would have ended the way they did." he replied simply. Cecil nodded.

"She'll take good care of Cuore. But now, I believe you'll be wanting your own group's child back. I'll have Ceodore bring him in for you." he said. Ceodore quickly ran out of the room to fetch Soriah from Rosa's chambers.

"So what happens now?" Edge asked from where he was leaning against the wall.

"Now? War." Pierce said calmly. Cecil nodded.

"My troops are already mobilizing. We will be ready within the week. It's up to you to make sure the others are ready, as well. You make the call. The forces of Baron are at the LE's service." he promised. Pierce smiled and bowed to him.

"Thank you, Cecil. Hopefully and with luck, this battle will be the last. I intend it to be." he replied. Cecil nodded, and with a final goodbye to each of the group and Ava holding Soriah, they walked out of the room and headed for their ship.

SHIP, ARMORY…

Pierce gently eased off his gauntlets and boots. He was just taking off his vest when Marek entered the room. "What is it, uncle?" Pierce asked evenly, not knowing where he stood with the white haired man after their "discussion" in Baron.

"Pierce, I'm gonna be blunt. You have no clue how to stop or suppress Light, do you." Marek stated. Pierce turned and slowly shook his head. "Well, then you and I are going on a little field trip, because I know a way to stop him." his uncle told him. Pierce raised his eyebrows.

"And where are we going?" he asked, turning to look at him. Marek stared at him solemnly.

"As I've said before, light cannot overcome light. Opposing forces must be used against each other. We're going to the Realm of Darkness." he informed him.

**And that's the end of that! Okay so yes the Maenad fight was short. I know, so bite me it was on purpose. I know a lot happened this chapter but don't just remember the end, remember what happened in the beginning too! You can't forget that stuff for later on, haha! Alright, well now you what the secret "world" is, so I hope you're excited! Leave a review, which brings up something else….400 REVIEWS, OH MY GOSH! YOU GUYS ALL ROCK! Let's see how many we can get over the next fifteen chapters! Can we get 450, maybe 475?! C'mon, even if you leave three word review, it still helps, haha! If you like the story, please leave me one! Anyway, enough of the rant. I'm gonna crash for the night, guys, so peace out.**


	56. Ch 56: The Depths of Darkness

**Hey, everyone! So we are now at the last little excursion before the final stretch(I say stretch because it's not all gonna be battles from here on out). Shout outs!**

**The Unknowing Herald: That's one of my favorite FFIV quotes, after "I've returned to my senses!" Thanks! **

**Legionary Prime: Thanks, and well Pierce and Marek are. **

**Gohan Roxas: One word response: YEP! Haha!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well Lorans is always overstepping the villainous limits, isn't he. Ha, thanks. Herald helped me through the chapter A LOT, so give him some credit too. Maybe, maybe not! Haha.**

**Shadowdragon1317: Yeah, I know right! Only time will tell, my friend!**

**Celeron96: You didn't like it, I take it? And really? I don't know how you got that. Although that was my least favorite X-men movie, I did like that last battle. I actually loved Origins, which seems to be an unpopular choice. **

**Izumi Natsuno: You're fine, don't worry! Haha, hard to imagine, isn't it!**

**So I certainly hope you know what I and others own by now! Here's the last two part bit before the final part of the ENTIRE story! **

Chapter 56: The Depths of Darkness

Pierce calmly walked into the cockpit, where the other six members of his group were. Ven was piloting like always, Ava and Lulu were sitting near the window with Soriah, who was playing with a little action figure they had found for him, Shin and Terra were at the table relaxing, and Kain was…..somewhere. Pierce sighed and cleared his throat to get their attention. Marek walked in and stood in the doorway behind him, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. "Guys, Marek and I are leaving for a little while." he announced, though not very happily. Immediately, arguments were made.

"What do you mean 'leaving'?!" Ava gasped, instantly standing up and walking toward him. Lulu, Shin, and Terra stood up and looked at him, as well. Pierce sighed and glanced back at Marek, who shrugged his shoulders before speaking.

"Here's what we know." he began as he stepped past Pierce so they would all look at him. "Lorans came from several years into the future because Light, the entity that's already inside and growing within Pierce, went berserk, took control of Pierce's body and waged holy war against Darkness and Corruption. I can only guess at what those two are, but it's a good possibility that I myself still carry Darkness within me. So if I am right, then Lorans himself is Corruption. But he is also unbelievably strong in the light. This stems from his participation in the first Keyblade War. And thus, even if Pierce did become engulfed by Light, he would not be able to defeat Lorans. So couple that with Light itself destroying the worlds in a matter of years from now, do any of you have any ideas of stopping Light before this happens?" he told them calmly, keeping his arms crossed.

It was then that Kain entered the room, having heard everything. But no one had anything to argue with Marek about this. "Pierce, I don't like how this sounds." Ava told him. Lulu, Shin, and Terra nodded in agreement. Ven put it on auto pilot and walked back to join them.

"Marek, are you absolutely sure of what you're doing?" he asked. Marek looked at him and nodded.

"There's only one way to stop Light should he overtake Pierce, and it is only if we leave now that we have enough time for him to learn it." he replied firmly. Pierce swallowed and spoke.

"While we are gone, Ven is in charge. I want you to go around to all of our allies and check their progress. Check with Tidus, Cloud, Robin, and Gwen. If you can, try to make it past Lorans' defenses to Traverse Town and find Mickey, as well. After that, go back to the camp and we'll find you there when we return." he told them. Ven nodded and walked back to the pilot seat without another word. Shin and Terra looked at him for several moments before walking back to the table. Lulu walked back to where Soriah was still playing and sat down.

"I'll let you get ready, but we need to leave as soon as you're prepared." Marek told Pierce, turning and walking back into one of the side rooms. Pierce nodded and looked at Ava, who was the last one standing there as Kain went and sat in the co-pilot seat.

"I'll be careful, I promise." he told her. She nodded and immediately ran up and hugged him tightly, trying to hold back her tears.

"Just come back and still be yourself." she said quietly. He smiled sadly as he kissed her cheek.

"I love you, Ava." he whispered. She looked up and kissed him on the lips.

"I love you too, Pierce." she said back as they broke apart. With one last glance at the group, he turned and walked back to the armory to gear up.

HANGAR BAY….

Pierce walked into the bay fully dressed in his Wanderer attire and found Marek standing in the center of the hangar, waiting for him. The white haired man was wearing a Black Coat, identical to those once worn by Organization XIII, the group of Nobodies that Pierce had learned about with Eraqus. "While we're in the dark realm, I recommend you have your hood up at all times. Even exposing that much of yourself will let Light shine through. Just because your father survived down there for twelve years doesn't necessarily mean you'll like what you may find." he advised. Pierce nodded and put his hood up, as did Marek. Without another word, Marek turned and held up his hand, summoning a dark portal. "Be cautious, and stay as close to me as possible." he warned. Pierce nodded, and followed him inside.

_Pierce could barely see or feel his way through. Despite having been through these portals with Marek on a few occasions, those were only flashes, glimpses of the true essence of the gateways. Marek easily waded through just ahead of him, but it wasn't long before Pierce lost sight of him. He looked all around him, but could see only blackness in every direction. "Marek!" he yelled, hearing his voice echo many times in the distance. He looked down at his feet to see darkness slowly crawling up his body, and he frantically tried to get it off. When the darkness had passed above his waist, he felt a firm hand grab onto his wrist._

"_I did say stay close." Marek commented as he firmly pulled his nephew out of the darkness and led him silently down a vague path of darkness. _

THE DARK REALM, UNKNOWN LOCATION….

Pierce stepped out of the gateway and gasped for breath, never realizing how close the air was within the portal. Marek looked at him, a vague outline of his face being seen under his hood. "Hopefully you never have to get used to it. Come on." he said, helping him up and leading him in a seemingly random direction. Pierce quickly followed after him and listened to what his uncle had to say. "Back in the Third Keyblade War, your father and I both manifested supernatural powers. Your father mastered his control over Light and managed to defeat me. I had manifested Darkness at that time, also known as Illusion, but it had completely control over me, and that was what gave Jack the advantage. Throughout that last battle between him and I, I grew stronger and began to fight back against the Illusion, to the point where I managed to free myself." he explained.

"So you had no control over any of your actions throughout your life?" Pierce asked him. Marek sighed and shook his head.

"Don't get the wrong idea, sport. I've never been the hero like your father grew to be. I don't think the Rikkisons were ever born as heroes. Those who became them, namely Jack and Jason, fought and clawed their way to the light. Me? I was never meant to play the hero. I had thought that to be obvious even through our struggle. I grew up shadowed in my jealousy for your father. That darkness attracted other….unsavory characters. Needless to say, my past isn't a happy one, Pierce. Jack thought he had it bad? Xehanort's prodigal son had no idea what it meant to have a terrible adolescence." he replied as they kept walking.

Pierce nodded and could tell this was a sore topic for the last surviving member of his family and changed it. "So what exactly is your plan to deal with Light?" he asked. Marek kept walking for several moments, taking his time before answering.

"Tell me what you know about darkness, Pierce." he said instead. Pierce sighed and thought back to everything that his father, Sora, Riku, and Master Eraqus had ever taught him about the force opposing light.

"Darkness corrupts all it touches. When it finds a weak heart, it will not stop until it completely overcomes it. Light exists to combat darkness, and to protect people from it. Darkness must always be watched, for if it ever broke free of light's boundaries and spread across the worlds, ultimate chaos would ensue." he replied. Marek chuckled quietly for a few moments.

"An answer coming almost verbatim from the mouth of Eraqus." he commented. He sighed and was silent for a few moments. "I had respect for Eraqus. The old man raised countless Keybladers that saved the worlds in their time, and he raised you, Ava, and Griffin. But he was a fool at times, uncompromising in his beliefs and doctrines. He believed that only light can be used for good, and darkness can only be manipulated by those bearing ill intent." he said. Pierce listened to what Marek was saying, but he was curious at his words.

"What do you mean? Who uses darkness for good? Look at Xehanort and all those who allied with him. None of them used light, they all utilized darkness." he asked. Marek shook his head and stopped walking, turning to him.

"Other than myself, you mean? Look at Riku, who fought against his own darkness for years and used it to help win the second and third Keyblade Wars. Look at Jack's best friend, Master Terra. Like Riku, he struggled with darkness, and it ended up costing him twelve years of his life, trapped inside his own body. But they both fought back against their tormentors and won, using it to help others. You say all of those with ill intent use darkness? Take a look at LORANS, the bastard who killed your parents and the rest of the original LE! Pierce, you can't be as ignorant as the last generation. Light was never the savior of the universe. When you know about the origin of the Keyblade, Light and Darkness, and the Rikkison line itself, you will see the truth. Darkness was born, to keep the light in check, and that is what I have brought you here to learn. In order to stop Light, you must embrace the darkness." he told him, throwing off his black coat and making himself vulnerable. He then summoned his Keyblade and held it into the air. Pierce gasped and instantly heard the noise of a great force heading their way. The light of Marek's Keyblade was instantly drawing the Heartless toward them.

"Marek, have you lost it?!" he yelled, summoning his own, but was shocked when his uncle pointed his blade at him.

"I'm simply doing what must be done, Pierce." he said simply. Pierce yelled in anger and raised his own Keyblade.

"I thought you were on my side!" he yelled. Marek narrowed his eyes.

"I don't recall ever telling you that I was on your side." he told him as Heartless came into view on all sides. Pierce cursed under his breath and prepared to defend himself against his seemingly insane uncle.

LANES BETWEEN, RIGHT OVER THE RUINS OF THE LAND OF DEPARTURE…

"Everyone be ready to land. We're over the camp right now." Ven announced. Ava quickly picked up Soriah and put him in his little crib/play area and sat down in a seat by the window. Lulu was across from her, and Shin and Terra quickly sat down at the table like usual.

That was when the ship lurched dangerously. "Did something just hit us?!" Terra asked as Ven tried to right the ship.

"Something's forcing the hangar doors open! There's something else hovering around the ship, trying to force us to land!" Ven yelled. Kain stood up and picked up his lance.

"Ready yourselves!" he yelled. But even as Ava, Shin, and Terra stood up and drew their weapons, nothing could have prepared them for what came through the door.

Ven did his best to bring the ship in for a landing, but whatever was attacking the ship from outside took out the engines. Ven groaned from the effort of trying to keep the ship stable enough to crash land. A few moments later, everyone inside the ship went flying toward the front window, breaking through it and spewing out into their cluttered camp.

Kain was the first to get back on his feet, twirling his lance and standing in front of everyone else. Shin stood up, holding his sword and offered Terra a hand, pulling her to her feet. Ven, Ava, and Lulu stood up and formed a line with the other three. They all glared at the figure in front of them, standing on top of the ship.

"I believe you know how this goes." Braig said with a slight smirk, cocking his arrowguns while several dark shapes moved through the smoke now covering their destroyed ship.

**Cliffhanger, my old buddy, how ya been?! Haha, so I might be going out of town on Sunday, but I'm taking my laptop and I will have wifi, so I'll still be updating this week. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I hope you have an idea of what happened at the very end of the chapter! Right well, I'm gonna go for now. If at least five of you review within the next three hours, I will do my best to get another chapter out, though!**


	57. Ch 57: Marek's Scheme

**Well, I said six. You guys gave me five, and the night's still young, so yeah I'll go ahead and give it to you. Shout outs: **

**Celeron96: I agree. Well, I'm sure you'll like the chapter! **

**Gohan Roxas: Ha, just read the chapter man. You won't be disappointed! **

**The Unknowing Herald: Well, not quite yet!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Now that you say that, it really does sound like it, yeah. Well that whole thing was just to show that yeah, Marek's not a hero, even if he's fighting for the right side. He's still conflicted and he doesn't necessarily believe in the same things the group does. **

**Legionary Prime: Since Rayne, yes. Yep, and he's not alone! **

**Alright, you know what I own, so I'm skipping all of that cause I'm tired. Enjoy!**

Chapter 57: Marek's Scheme

**(Marek's Theme 1{Archangel, Two Steps From Hell})**

Pierce swung his Keyblade up and cut a Neoshadow Heartless in half as it lunged for him. He looked at Marek, who held his blade in a casual but ready position. The white haired man looked at the ground and closed his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them again, his green eyes had changed to yellow. He breathed slowly as darkness covered him and his Keyblade.

Pierce sighed as he watched Heartless step right past Marek without even noticing him. They were only after light, not darkness. He flexed his hand and shot down several of them with a thunder spell before realizing they were not attacking him anymore. Marek slightly motioned to them, and they surrounded the two Keybladers, stacking up on top of each other and making a massive black dome, blocking both of their escapes. Marek cast two fire spells, and the balls of flame hovered toward the ceiling, illuminating the arena. Pierce roared in anger and charged. "I trusted you!" he screamed, swinging recklessly. Marek casually back stepped the attack and countered with a strike of his own. Engulfing his fist in darkness, he reached forward and punched his nephew in the face. Pierce went flying off his feet and landed on his back.

"Light will not save you now, Pierce! Embrace the darkness!" Marek yelled to him. Pierce shook his head angrily as he jumped back to his feet and leaped into the air. Marek looked up and rolled his eyes as Pierce charged with light and threw his Keyblade. The white haired man sighed as he held up his hand and blocked it with a flick of his wrist. "Jack may have been able to beat me, Pierce, but trust me! You aren't your father, not yet!" he yelled, dashing up into the air as a black blur and grabbing onto Pierce's shirt. He turned in mid air and threw the teen down to the ground, where he hit the sand with a crash.

As Marek came back to the ground, Pierce got up and ran back at him, swinging his fists. Marek blocked punch after punch without breaking a sweat and wrapped his foot around Pierce's ankle, taking his nephew's footing and making him fall to the ground again. When Pierce continued to resist and would not even try to use the darkness, Marek roared angrily and raised his Keyblade over his head. Pierce gasped and quickly rolled away as the white haired man slammed his blade down where his head was a moment ago. He got to his feet and quickly jumped up, bringing his knees up and smashing them up against the bottom of Marek's jaw.

Marek stumbled backward, surprised by the ferocity of the strike, but it didn't faze him. Pierce called his Keyblade back to his hand and ran in swinging for Marek's torso. Marek instantly turned around, grabbing him by the neck and the waist and flinging him over his shoulder. Pierce let out an angry scream as he soared toward the wall of Heartless. He quickly flipped around and impaled his blade into one of them, looking down at Marek before angrily bringing it back out and swinging wide, ripping half a dozen Heartless out of the wall and sending them flying toward Marek, who simply swung his blade twice very swiftly, ripping them to shreds in less than a second. Pierce planted his feet against the soft heads of the Heartless and kicked off hard, flying through the air toward Marek and crashing into him at breakneck speed. Marek had seen it coming and caught him in a headlock just as he reached him, however.

Pierce struggled against the chokehold and did his best to pry Marek's arm off of his throat so he could breathe. Marek sighed sadly as he tightened his grip, just hoping that his plan would work. Deep inside, Pierce knew he had no choice. He had to activate Light and risk destroying all of the worlds, or use the darkness to stop his traitorous uncle. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes, focusing on the darkness around him and allowing it to enter his mind without fighting back.

The next time he opened his eyes, they were now on an even playing field. His yellow eyes glared into Marek's as he instantly threw off the older man's arms and knocked him back into the wall of Heartless. Marek smiled happily and lowered his Keyblade. "Pierce, you did it!" he yelled, but before he could say anything else, Pierce dashed at him and grabbed onto his throat, holding him off the ground angrily and closing his fingers around Marek's neck. "Pierce…you're still ignorant…..but do what you have to…." Marek muttered to him raspily, barely able to speak. These words woke Pierce out of his anger. **(end Marek's Theme)**

"What are you talking about, uncle?" he asked, slightly loosening his grip, but not dismissing the darkness. Marek sighed as his own eyes returned to their natural green and the darkness left him.

"I told you before, Pierce. Light cannot overcome light. In order to defeat both Lorans and your own Light, you must embrace the darkness, and what I just did forced you to do so. Now you can use darkness." he explained, coughing. Pierce let go of his throat and let him fall to the ground. Marek neither thanked nor begged for his life, he just simply stood up and rubbed his neck.

"You're wrong, uncle. I will not use darkness. It goes against everything that I was taught, not just by Eraqus, but by my father. I will not let go of that." Pierce told him firmly. Marek sighed and shook his head.

"Then God help you all." he said simply as the Heartless all collapsed on themselves and began to fade back into the shadows. He turned and opened a portal, looking at Pierce and beckoning toward it.

"Are you on my side, Marek?" Pierce asked him cautiously. Marek smiled slightly.

"Pierce, if I wasn't, what just happened never would have occurred." he replied. Pierce sighed and stepped through the portal, quickly followed by Marek.

LE CAMP, LAND OF DEPARTURE RUINS, TWO HOURS EARLIER….

"Braig!" Ven yelled angrily. Braig smirked. **(Counterattack, Dissidia 012)**

"And I brought some old playmates of yours, kiddo!" he said happily, gesturing toward the smoke, where the figures were still coming from.

Ven gasped and slightly lowered his Keyblade as two figures walked into the open. One had faded blue hair, and the other was brown haired and was wearing tan hakama pants. Ven couldn't believe what Lorans had done with the bodies of his friends. And it wasn't just Terra and Aqua. Lea, Eraqus, and Kairi were there, as well. Kain stepped forward and twirled his lance at seeing Ava and Ven's reactions, which were the exact same.

"They themselves are no longer there! These are just possessed bodies meant to unhinge us! Cut them down and deal with Braig!" he yelled, leaping into the air and dashing towards Braig, who teleported away. Shin and Terra drew their swords and charged, and Lea and Kairi immediately dashed out and clashed blades with each of them. Lulu and Ava drew their weapons and immediately ran around to the side where Kain was, but found their path blocked by Eraqus.

Ven looked at both Terra and Aqua as they walked up to him and silently raised their Keyblades. He calmly shook his head and lowered his own. "I won't fight you. I don't care what Lorans did to you." he told them firmly. Aqua stepped forward and slowly raised her Keyblade at him. He braced himself and watched her. She cocked her head to the side a bit, and snarled like an animal before swinging down. Ven closed his eyes, but heard metal hit flesh and didn't feel a wound, so he opened them again. Kain's lance protruded from her stomach, and Aqua limply lay on it. As Kain pulled it back and quickly blocked a strike from Terra, Ven noticed that her eyes had gone back to normal. He gently shut them, and went to help Kain.

Shin held up his sword and blocked an aerial strike from Lea's Keyblade while Terra angrily swung at Kairi's outstretched Keyblade, cutting right through it and slicing through her midsection. Kairi shrieked like a banshee and fell to the ground, her eyes returning to normal.

"Two already?! Lorans promised they'd do the trick! Maybe I should have brought the real ones instead!" Braig yelled angrily, unleashing countless arrows on the area. Kain twirled his lance, continually blocking Terra's fierce strikes while Ven ran to help the girls combat Eraqus, who was actually more than capable of besting the two of them.

Shin backed away as Lea growled furiously and glowed with a flame like aura. He threw out his arms and sent a wave of fire spiraling at the teen. Shin rolled out of the way, giving Terra enough time to get behind the puppet and impale him. He ran back to her and smiled as they turned to look at everyone else.

Ven, Ava, and Lulu were up against the castle wall, arrows holding their arms and legs in place. Kain groaned as Terra hit him in the face with the hilt of his Keyblade and forced him against the wall. The remaining puppets, Terra and Eraqus, held up their Keyblades against the throats of the girls first while Braig appeared on top of the destroyed ship and aimed at them. "Throw down your blades. You're all going to Lorans, where I'm sure he isn't gonna be too happy that you cut down three of his pawns." he told them seriously, no longer showing a smirk. They both looked at each other and knew there was nothing to be done but throw their swords to the ground and hold up their hands in surrender. **(end Counterattack)**

PRESENT TIME…..

Pierce stepped out of the portal first, followed by Marek. They walked into the camp to find it wrecked and empty. "Pierce." Marek said from the left. Pierce turned and looked at where Marek was standing, seeing the ship crashed and destroyed beyond repair.

"Marek, what could have….?" he began, but stopped as he saw what was lying next to the ship: the bodies of Lea and Kairi. Marek looked down at them and raised his eyebrows before turning back to Pierce.

"I think you just found your answer, Pierce." he replied. Pierce swallowed hard, not believing that Lorans would stoop _that_ low.

"Marek, we have to go, now. He's got them, I know he's got them. We have to get our allies together and attack Radiant Garden. It's the only chance they have." he said quickly. Marek nodded and summoned another dark portal.

"We'll be faster if we split up. You head to Nottingham and Spira. Those two are the farthest away. I'll talk to everyone else. Meet me at home. From there, we'll regroup and attack." he told him. Pierce nodded, and with that, Marek was gone.

He immediately jumped on top of the ship and leaped into the air, summoning his rider and landing on it. "Ven, Kain, Shin, Terra, Lulu…Ava, we're coming, just hang on." he whispered desperately, soaring into the air and disappearing, leaving the bodies of Lea, Kairi, and Aqua behind.

**You didn't see hardly ANY of this coming, did you?! Herald, I don't wanna hear it, haha! So there you go. Yes it was shorter, but it was two chapters in one day, so you can't complain. Alright, well I'll try to update tomorrow, but I can't promise anything, and I'm not updating Sunday. So if I don't update tomorrow, then look for it Monday. **

**One announcement. Herald and I released Draconian Light, a cross over story, a few weeks ago. It's a story where Shin and Jack are forced to fight in order to save Rayne and Terra, but a deeper plot is discovered along the way. I have the first part on my profile, and Herald is writing the second chapter of Part 2 right now, but chapter one of Part 2 is on his profile right now, which I have a link to in mine. Just, if you get a chance, check it out. Right? Thanks!**


	58. Ch 58: Freedom Fighters

**Not a lot of time today, so I'm gonna go right to the shout outs:**

**The Unknowing Herald: Yep, I'm not surprised, haha!**

**MEleeSmasher: That could potentially happen, but nothing is guaranteed, haha!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Yep! No, not yet…..**

**13TheAce: Yep, I bet none of you will see what's coming next!**

**Izumi Natsuno: Well you weren't the only one! Sorry!**

**Gohan Roxas: Yeah, it's just your wishful thinking, haha.**

**Bezerker21: Sorry, I had already posted the chapter when you reviewed, so that's why it wasn't there. But as for what you said about beliefs, you know what I believe, man. Jesus will vanquish the "darkness" when he returns, but it's not just the light that he uses for his own glory. Through God all things are possible, and Lorans could really be seen as the Antichrist. He appeared as the worlds' savior and is strong in the light, so naturally they have to turn to other methods to take him down. I'm not praising the forces of darkness or anything, it's just a deeper message that was woven itself in. But thanks for voicing your concern so I could clear that up!**

**Celeron96: I didn't think many of you would believe Marek turned traitor again, haha. Thanks, and it's for reasons that you haven't learned yet, but Lorans went to the past too.**

**Alright, well you know what I own, that being Pierce, Marek, Lorans, Soriah, and Light! Shin, Ava, and Lulu are their respective owners' property! Enjoy.**

Chapter 58: Freedom Fighters

RADIANT GARDEN, CASTLE COURTYARD…

**(Final Resolve, Dissidia 012)**

Lorans calmly walked down the steps toward the main courtyard, one arm casually hanging at his side, and the other holding Soriah. Braig was standing near the front wall facing the city, and both Immortals and Council soldiers covered the area.

The puppets of the dead Keybladers stood scattered at various points through out the area. Chained to the wall and facing all of them were Ven, Shin, Terra, Ava, and Lulu, all looking out bravely. Ven sighed and looked up at a pillar on top of the wall adjacent to them, where Sora was chained and being forced to watch. "Traitors and fugitives that we have hunted for almost two entire years now stand before you all!" Lorans yelled out to his men as he stepped down to their level and calmly walked through the men and toward the wall where his prisoners were chained up. "The Rikkisons have gone missing, it would seem. But in their absence, this group is led by former LE captain Ventus, master of the Keyblade, am I correct?!" he yelled, stopping a few feet from Ven's face.

"Screw you, Lorans. No matter what you do here today, you will be stopped. I'm not afraid to die." Ven told him calmly. Lorans smirked and turned, his hood rising an inch up his face, but not enough to reveal anything about it.

"True, Master Ven. But are your companions as brave as you are?" he asked, looking at Terra, who just glared at him. He then stepped over and glanced at Lulu. She coldly stared at him, and he chuckled quietly as he laid eyes on Ava. "There is no rush. We have all the time in the world. Your deaths will not be quick. For aiding the Rikkisons, you shall all suffer painful deaths, I can promise you that." he told them confidently. **(end Final Resolve)**

MEANWHILE, DESTINY ISLANDS….

Pierce walked out of his old and destroyed home to find Marek stepping out of a dark portal. "Were you able to find everyone?" he asked. Marek nodded.

"We have a small army from Camelot, Mickey's Gummi Fleet, Robin's gang and almost a dozen volunteers from Nottingham, the remnant of Cloud's militia from Gaia, Tidus, Auron, and a great number of soldiers from Spira, and Cecil's entire army. We can't wait any longer. Who knows what Lorans could already be doing to them." he replied. Pierce nodded and looked out at the shore, seeing Robin, Cloud, Zack, Tidus, Auron, Merlin, Cecil, and Mickey waiting for him.

"Pierce, all of our soldiers are scattered throughout my fleet. That was the only way to transport all of them." Mickey said as the two Rikkisons walked up. Pierce nodded.

"Thank you, all of you, for coming. According to Marek's latest Intel, Lorans has the rest of my group captive and awaiting execution in Radiant Garden right now. He also has Sora, who's alive." he told them. Mickey's eyes widened in shock, as did everyone else's. "He'll be expecting us, but we don't have any choice. To save Sora, Ven, Shin, Terra, Ava, Lulu, Kain, Soriah, and to take down Lorans once for all!" he told them. They all yelled in agreement and turned to the ships in the sky as one quickly flew down toward them.

RADIANT GARDEN COURTYARD…..

Lorans handed Soriah to one of the guards and took a step toward Ava. That was when Braig sighed and spoke up. "Lorans, this isn't right. I'm all for a few sacrificial executions, but this whole situation is wrong. The whole time I was under Xehanort, I saw a lot of questionable things being done. I would fight them to the death, but we are not executioners." he calmly said. Lorans turned and looked at him.

"Are you questioning my judgment, captain?" he asked, walking toward him. Braig slightly shook his head.

"No sir, but this is not honorable, what we're about to do. I won't be a part of it." he said firmly. Lorans growled dangerously as he stopped a foot from Braig's face.

"Do you know what I could do to you right now if I wished?" he asked. Braig nodded.

"I do, but I'm not taking part in this, and I won't let you slaughter defenseless prisoners, either." he replied. Lorans' mouth thinned, and he instantly began debating whether or not to put this little man out of his misery. But at that exact moment, he had let his guard down for what he had been hoping for all day.

**(Freedom Fighters, Two Steps From Hell)**

"Fire!" Pierce yelled. Donald nodded as he and Goofy fired the cannons. He then ran right for the windshield, which opened for him and he leaped out into the sky. Marek meanwhile did the same from Cecil's ship, and they shot toward the ground together. "Lorans!" Pierce roared. Countless ships flew in and landed, LE soldiers pouring out of the ramps and engaging the Immortals and Council troops.

Lorans and Braig both turned and looked at what was going on behind them, and at seeing Pierce's angry face descending rapidly toward the ground, Lorans summoned his Keyblade to his hand and headed back for the steps. Ven and everyone cheered them on until Braig turned and pointed his arrowguns at them. Ven and Braig stared at each other for a long moment before the captain let loose several dozen arrows.

Ven expected to meet his end, but raised his eyebrows in shock as he felt his chains break from his wrists and ankles. He looked over at everyone else and saw that they were all free. He looked back at Braig, who calmly reloaded and teleported up after Lorans.

Pierce landed with a crash and immediately engaged the soldiers, Marek landing a few seconds later and blasting a group of Immortals back with a wave of darkness.

Robin appeared atop one of the walls with bow in hand, his gang and all of their ranged soldiers behind him. "Draw, loose!" he yelled, and they all fired arrows or bullets down into the enemy.

Shin tackled a Council soldier and hit him in the back of the head with a rock before picking up the man's sword. "Thank you." he muttered, standing up and twirling it block an attack. He spun around and impaled his attacker in the stomach. He picked up that man's sword and turned to Terra. "Here, Terra!" he yelled, throwing it to her. She caught it with a grateful nod and ran off into the battle.

Kain fought barehanded and took out several Immortals as they tried to surround him. Then, Cecil appeared and took out a group coming at the dragoon's back. He stuck an old dusty lance in the ground next to the both of them. "I thought you might want one, even if that's the one you used for training!" he yelled. Kain smirked and took it, immediately dashing off and carving a path.

Pierce quickly ran over to where Lulu and Ava were fighting, the green haired girl using a sword from a fallen enemy. "Ava!" he yelled, cutting down a man in his way and running over to her.

"Pierce!" she yelled as she knocked a group of Immortals back with a thunder spell.

"Where's Ven?!" he asked as he threw his blade past Lulu's face, the Keyblade cutting through a man behind her. Ava shrugged her shoulders.

"I think he ran after Lorans. I haven't seen him since we broke free! I'm trying to get to Sora and free him!" she told him. He nodded, looking toward the stairs and now seeing Ven running into the castle. He cursed under his breath, looking to his right, where his uncle was clearing an area by himself.

"Uncle!" he yelled. Marek cut down a final Immortal and looked at him. "Hold the fort!" he yelled. Marek nodded, and Pierce jumped into the air and summoned his Keyblade rider, heading straight for the roof of the castle where he had killed Xehanort seven months ago. **(end Freedom Fighters)**

CASTLE, ROOFTOP…..

Pierce flew up onto the platform and leaped off his rider, summoning his blade back to his hand as he landed. He swallowed hard at what he saw. Lorans smirked as he stood just behind Ven, holding his Keyblade at the blonde's throat and using him as a shield. It was then that Pierce looked to the left and saw Braig aiming both his arrowguns at Lorans, as well. "You all think you're so clever. You think I did not anticipate any of this, and you think that I will not outright murder your pathetic little band of fugitives, Pierce? I foresaw ALL of this!" Lorans yelled at him angrily **(Final Resolve, Dissidia 012) **

"Lorans, this ends here!" Pierce told him firmly, holding out his Keyblade, but Lorans just tightened his grip on Ven as he inched toward the edge of the platform.

"Pierce….do it. Kill him." Ven croaked, barely able to breathe with how tight Lorans was holding him. Braig cocked his arrowguns as he and Pierce circled Lorans, who was now standing at the edge, his back to the battle. The hooded man smirked evilly as he glanced backward.

"Enough of this then. HEARKEN TO ME!" he roared at the top of his voice. Several of his puppets immediately leaped on to the platform and stood around the circular edge. At the same time, the battle ceased momentarily as everyone looked up at him.

"Pierce, kill him! Don't forget what our purpose and our goal was! Don't let this cloud your judgment. Do what has to be done!" Ven yelled at him. Pierce started forward, but Lorans spun around so Ven was facing the edge and ran his Keyblade through Ven's lower back, the blade appearing on the other side of the blonde's body. Ven instantly gasped for air and tried to speak, but could not. He let out one final gasp, and his head slumped forward. Lorans sighed and drew his blade out, letting Ven's body slump forward and fall off the tower.

Pierce angrily stared at the spot where Ven's body had vanished, and looked up at Lorans as he began to feel his rage take over. "Lorans!" he screamed as he began to glow brightly. Braig immediately starting firing countless arrows at Lorans, but the hooded man just reached back and threw his bloody Keyblade forward. Before Braig could teleport, it connected to his good eye and sent him flying onto his back. Lorans summoned it from the now motionless body and brandished it in his hand again as he looked back at Pierce.

"I WILL KILL YOU! IT ENDS HERE, LORANS!" Pierce screamed, no longer only using his own voice. The deep voice of Light now resonated behind his own, and the white fire covered the teen's body. Pierce-Light hovered into the air and calmly held up one hand, Pierce's Keyblade hovering in the air near it.

"Let this day mark the beginning of my holy war, with you as the first casualty." Light spoke angrily as they both prepared for battle. The puppets of Terra, Jack, and Mist rallied around Lorans as Light took over. Pierce was nowhere to be seen, even within his own mind.

From the battlefield, the rest of the group had gathered together. "Ven….." Ava whispered tearfully as they watched the body fall down to the ground. They could see the light and feel the power radiating from the top of the tower.

"Damn you, Pierce. I warned you!" Marek said angrily, running for the stairs. Ava followed him and turned to the rest of the group.

"Stop those puppets from following us up!" she told the others. Kain, Lulu, Shin, and Terra nodded and turned back to the battle as the remaining puppets came walking up the stairs after them.

**And so everything has begun to go to hell! I hope I made the scenes well enough considering how tired I am. Two more chapters until Lorans reveals himself! I hope you not necessarily enjoyed what happened, but enjoyed the chapter. Are you psyched for the next chapter?!**


	59. Ch 59: Casualties of War

**I really don't know what to say, guys. I tried to type out a chapter this week but I just couldn't do it. Every time I would start, my family would come and bug me. Sorry about not updating this week. But I'm here and doing my best to finish it now! Shout outs: **

**AngelicWinds: Don't worry, I won't! **

**Bezerker21: Well, sorry, but it had to happen! Haha, you're really confident about Lorans' identity, aren't you! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Well I hope it's a good thing that you feel them! Thanks! **

**13TheAce: Well, I kept him alive so long for a purpose! Well, so is Pierce at the same time…..**

**Izumi Natsuno: I did as soon as I could, I promise! **

**Celeron96: Heheh, I know! Well I guess he was predictable, huh? He can walk, but Lorans was carrying him to make sure he didn't try to run away. Well, remember what Marek set out to do a few chapters ago, too. And there you go. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Most definitely, my friend. Thanks! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Haha, I don't think Pierce can hear you right now…You know what I realized? Everyone that I made pilot their ship I killed off…..**

**Legionary Prime: Well not quite yet, but soon! **

**Alright so with last chapter we are now 100 reviews more than what RTDoD ended with! And we're only 8 chapters longer! Thanks a whole lot, everyone! Seriously, it's great to have a group of readers like you all. So thank you for everything you do! Alright, I know you must be getting impatient by now so I'll quit babbling. As long as you know who owns what, you may continue on to the chapter! Enjoy!**

Chapter 59: Casualties of War

**(Master, Tell Me The Truth, Birth By Sleep Final Mix)**

Kain angrily stared at Eraqus as he readied his lance. Eraqus raised his Keyblade and dashed forward. Kain sidestepped and swung his lance low, aiming for the puppet's legs. Eraqus whirled around and blocked with his Keyblade, immediately pushing Kain backward and jumping into the air. Kain looked up to see Eraqus hovering in the air, arms outstretched.

Chains shot down in different directions, and in moments the area that Kain was standing on began to lift up into the air. Eraqus growled and groaned from the effort, and Kain quickly leaped off the side of the now hovering platform and tried to get to a safe position. Eraqus leaned backward and threw the platform up into the air, sending a powerful fire spell shooting up after it. Kain watched from the ground as the fire spell turned the platform into a meteor that instantly plummeted toward him. He leaped into the air and threw his lance at Eraqus with as much strength as he could muster. Eraqus turned and saw it at the last second and it speared him through the stomach. He growled at Kain as he pointed his blade at him. Kain looked up to see the meteor heading straight for him. He dashed through the air and punched Eraqus in the face, knocking him out of the sky.

The meteor lost control and crashed into part of the castle. The wall caved in and shook the castle. Kain stood up to see Eraqus swing toward him and cut him across the chest, barely scraping his armor. Kain fell onto his back and angrily prepared to take his lance back, which was still protruding from Eraqus' stomach. That was when the puppet suddenly screamed in pain and began to rise up into the air, suspended by a massive vine with spiky thorns. The plant quickly coiled itself around Eraqus, stopping him from moving. Immediately after, Luriel leaped up and drove her sickle through the puppet's skull. She smirked down at Kain as she drew the lance out of the puppet's stomach and tossed it down to him. "You alright, old man!?" she yelled over the noise of the battle. **(end Master tell me the truth)**

In response, he caught his lance and jumped up, knocking Xion out of the air as she came up behind Lulu. The green haired girl turned and smirked again as she jumped down to help him.

MEANWHILE…

Terra swung Apocalypse and cut an Immortal out of the air as it charged for her. She turned and sent a group flying with a powerful wind spell with her free hand. She had tried to keep an eye on everyone, but she could no longer see anyone but Robin and his group of archers on the wall. She saw Robin carefully aim and shoot an arrow across the courtyard. The arrow soared up and cut through the chains holding Sora to the pillar on top of the wall. Sora immediately threw them off and flexed his hand. A dusty and dirty Kingdom Key appeared in his hand right as Roxas ran up the wall toward him. Sora leaped off and fell down headfirst, turning in mid air and swinging at his Nobody's head. The puppet easily blocked and pushed off from the wall. The two collided with each other and plummeted down into the battle.

Terra saw all this happen as she whirled around and sent a group of Council soldiers crashing into the castle wall with a broad thunder spell. She turned back to find herself surrounded by Jason, Riku, and countless Immortals. She firmly held her sword and prepared to fight them. But as the Immortals led by the two puppets advanced on her, she knew she wouldn't be able to fight them all alone. **(Shin's Theme, Hot Wind Blowing, Metal Gear Rising)**

"Terra!" Shin yelled as half a dozen of the front line of Immortals fell to the ground, bleeding openly from the back. Shin leaped out and angrily swung toward Riku, who held up his Keyblade and blocked with an angry snarl. Terra smiled at him and quickly engaged Jason, who was charging for her.

"Get away from her!" Shin yelled as he pushed Riku back and threw his sword at several Immortals coming behind Terra. The blade cut through them one at a time before reaching Terra, who caught it and threw it back to him in time for both of them to block attacks from the puppets.

Jason angrily swung while stepping forward, forcing Shin to lean back and sidestep, staying on the defensive. He gasped as Jason curled the teeth of his black Kingdom Key around his ankle and pulled hard. Shin lost his footing and felt his legs going into the air, but managed to back flip and plant his feet back on the ground, pressing the offensive this time. He jumped up and kicked Jason's blade away right before bringing his Lightbringer crashing down. Jason rolled forward to dodge it and came up behind Shin, swinging hard. Shin brought his sword around, holding it backhand to block the attack. Jason snarled as his hands began to glow brightly. Shin's eyes widened as he quickly ran a few steps and jumped into the air to avoid the spell.

Terra was holding her own against Riku, but the Immortals kept pouring in from behind her, forcing her to multitask. She made sure to keep an eye on Shin while she was fighting and saw him leap into the air as Jason prepared to cast a powerful spell at him. She looked back at Riku with an angry glare and kicked him hard, bringing her foot up between his legs. Even though he was only a puppet now, he yelped in pain and fell to the ground clutching his hurt area. She quickly turned and cut down three immortals coming at her and ran over to the other puppet.

As Jason roared and prepared to send his deadly flame spell at Shin and the teen turned and held up his blade to try and block, Terra impaled the puppet from behind, driving her sword up to the hilt into Jason's back. Jason's eyes went wide as they flashed back to their normal colors, and she took her sword out, letting him fall to the ground. "Nice one, Terra!" Shin yelled at her, smiling as he took a few breaths. She smiled back at him, but saw the danger before he could sense it.

"SHIN, BEHIND YOU!" she screamed. He gasped and whirled around, right in time for Riku to drive his Keyblade into his chest. Terra's stomach clenched in shock and she was frozen for a few seconds, not knowing what to do. But as Riku withdrew his blade from Shin and her best friend/lover fell to his knees clutching his wound, she roared furiously and leaped into the air, instantly activating her Esper form and dashing toward Riku.

He leaped up and met her in the air, somehow blocking her lightning-fast attack and pushing her back. She screamed furiously as she righted herself in the air and raised her sword again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sora go flying and crash into the castle wall. A moment later, Roxas came flying through the air toward them. She focused on Riku for the moment and dashed back at him again, their blades clanging and clashing several times a second. "I will kill you for what you did to Shin!" she screamed, pushing her sword against his Keyblade and sending him flying into the ground. She flew up into the air and held her Apocalypse over her head and began to glow. She roared furiously as she dashed back toward the ground so fast that she was a blur.

She angrily pointed her sword downwards as she crashed on top of Riku, instantly ending the puppet's life. She sighed and stood back up as her Esper form faded. She looked over to where Shin was facing her, clutching his chest, which was bleeding openly. "Shin!" she called out, stepping toward him. That was when two Keyblades pierced through her from behind. She stopped for a moment, looking down in surprise. She then angrily turned her sword around and swung behind her, slicing Roxas' neck. A moment later, the puppet fell to the ground and his two black Kingdom Keys disappeared from her body, but the damage had been done as she took a step toward Shin and fell to her knees. **(end A Hot Wind Blowing)**

"Terra…." he whispered, holding out his hand to her. She gasped as she slowly crawled toward him. "I'm sorry…." he whispered as she reached him. She sighed and sat all the way down leaning her back against the wall behind them. He put his head on her lap and began crying silently. **(Sound of the Ancients Devola, NeiR)**

"Shush, Shin. There's nothing to be sorry for. You came to help me, and you did." she whispered back. He shook his head gently.

"I wasn't strong enough, Terra. If I had gotten here sooner, or if I could have seen that puppet coming from behind me, I could have saved you." he told her sadly, shakily holding up his hand and intertwining it with hers.

"Shin, this isn't your fault. Maybe we shouldn't have joined this war. Perhaps, that's what caused this." she said. He nodded.

"I should have known that joining that group would only end this way." he began, but she put a finger over his mouth.

"Shin, I would do it all over again. We are part of something bigger than ourselves. Look at Marek. Yes he destroyed our home so long ago, but here he is fighting for the same cause we are. That has to mean something. Pierce has lost everything except for Ava, and he's still pushing to finish this. It was worth it in the end, Shin. I'm just glad you're here with me now." she told him calmly. He nodded as he looked up at her, one hand still clutching his chest.

"Terra…." he whispered. She looked down at him and immediately cut him off by kissing him.

"I love you." she finished for him. He smiled and took his hand of his chest, gently cupping her chin with it. He breathed shallowly.

"It's almost time for me." he whispered, his vision starting to brighten. She sighed as she began to cry openly.

"Shin….." she began, but he just smiled.

"At least I won't have to wait long for you, Terra. I'll be waiting on the other side…for you." he whispered, noticing that it was becoming too hard to breathe. "I love you….." he whispered his final words. She tearfully leaned down and kissed him one more time. Then, his head turned to the side slightly, and he managed to close his eyes as the life left him. She sighed and tearfully hugged his body tightly, rocking him gently as she too felt the life leaving her body. As a final gesture, she slipped her hands into his and wrapped her arms around him. She then leaned her back against the wall and sighed.

It was only a few minutes before Kain and Lulu found them, lying there together. Lulu tearfully bent down by Terra and silently closed her eyes. Kain sighed and looked at the ground sadly. He gently bent down and picked up the two swords, Lightbringer and Apocalypse. He smiled at knowing they were able to retrieve their blades from the guards, and silently put them both in the ground so that they would stand on their own. Lulu tried to wipe the tears from her face as she stood back up, but they kept coming nonstop. Kain smiled sadly at her as she ran into his arms. With one more long glance, the holy dragoon calmly steered her away from their deceased companions and began walking toward the castle steps, completely ignoring the battle going on around them.

Terra and Shin's bodies looked peaceful and content, hands intertwined, arms around each other, eyes closed, and small smiles on both of their faces. But in the eyes of Light and Lorans, they were only more needed sacrifices for their "holy war."

**In loving memory…..**

**Okay, I already see it coming, so please don't kill me! Gosh you would think I'd be used to writing these scenes by now, but it still makes me sad writing them, so I feel your pain, everyone! **

**Well, I decided to delete Dissidia for now, just thought I'd let everyone now. In the long run, you'll thank me because that will give me more time for my next idea. But that's staying top secret for now. So stay tuned for what you've all been waiting for, Chapter 60: Light versus Lorans and the Lorans Reveal! **


	60. Ch 60: Light's Benevolence

**Well, I'm finally home! But fifteen hours of driving really exhausts you, let me tell you! But here I am, working on probably the most anticipated chapter of the entire story. But before that, your shout outs!**

**Lucenthia: Thanks, and welcome back! In case you didn't know yet, Draconian Light Part 2 is up on Herald's profile. **

**Legionary Prime: Um, what? Haha.**

**13TheAce: You'll just have to wait and see! XD**

**Gohan Roxas: Yep!**

**Bezerker21: I bet, it sounds fun! Well, you'll know for sure by the end of this chapter! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Well, then I did the scene right! Thank you!**

**Celeron96: Well thank you! What do you think is the saddest scene that I've written?**

**The Unknowing Herald: Ha, maybe both? It's okay, you still have your own stories right? Remember Draconian Light! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Ha, not in the slightest! Well I'm glad I did the scene justice. Well here it is now! **

**You know that I own Lorans, Soriah, Pierce, Marek, Jack, and Mist in this chapter. Ava belongs to AngelicWinds and Luriel belongs to Celeron96. Herald gets a shout out for Shin since he just recently passed. **

**OMG we're at 450 reviews, guys! Holy crap, that's over a hundred more than RTDoD! Can we get to 500 by the end of the story? Please?! **

**Alright, well here's the chapter. After this you will all know and most of you will be shocked…enjoy! **

Chapter 60: Light's Benevolence and Lorans' True Face

While the battle between the LE and the puppets was raging on the ground, Marek and Ava wasted no time in climbing toward the roof of the tower, where they knew Pierce-Light was engaging Lorans.

Even while Kain and Lulu rallied their troops together to fend off the remainder of Lorans' army, Light was pushing Pierce farther and farther inside his own mind. By the time Marek and Ava ran out onto the rooftop, Light was hovering in the air facing Lorans and his three remaining puppets: Jack, Mist, and Terra. Lorans glanced at them and sighed. "Your friend is gone now! Only Light remains, and he is in full control! This is what I came to stop, for if Light breaks free from this battle today, the worlds will pay the price!" he yelled at them as Jack and Terra raised their black Kingdom Keys. Mist held her arm and pointed her hand at Light, showing a black copy of her magic amplification gauntlet that was left with Rayne's body. Ava shook her head at them.

"Pierce is still in there!" she argued. At that moment, Light turned to her and spoke.

"Indeed he is, but so deep within himself that he will never be found. He cannot hope to triumph against me. For I am Light, the savior of worlds!" he told her before pointing at Lorans. "The time has come to purge this world of the darkness. This 'Lorans' is all that stands in my way. I will destroy him, and the worlds with it!" he declared. Lorans growled and looked at Marek and Ava, his hood still only showing his mouth. (**Another Side, Birth by Sleep) **

"You must help me this once, Marek! Together, Darkness and Corruption can overtake him! Only united will we stand, for otherwise, we all fall this day!" he implored the last remaining Rikkison. Marek sighed and thought for a long moment. Lorans growled at his hesitation and flexed his hand. Immediately, Jack, Mist, and Terra readied for battle and charged the two of them. "Fine, I'll deal with him myself, just stay out of the way!" Lorans roared.

Marek and Ava had barely raised their Keyblades when Sora came running to the top of the stairs. "Marek!" he yelled quickly, swinging his own Kingdom Key into Terra's path and stopping him. Marek smiled at him and glanced at Ava.

"You take Mist. I'll deal with my fallen brother." he told her calmly. She nodded quickly and charged. Marek calmly held his blade up to where Jack was patiently waiting, his white eyes staring emptily at his brother. "Oh, how time reverses the roles, brother." Marek said calmly, narrowing his eyes and smirking. "I have a feeling I'm gonna enjoy this a little too much." he murmured as he raised his Keyblade and lunged.

Ava ran up and swung her blade toward Mist, who silently held up her gauntlet and blocked the strike. She reached back and swung a fist, which was glowing with magic, and punched Ava in the stomach. The pink haired girl groaned and lurched forward as Mist snarled at her. Ava glared at her as she aimed a kick at the puppet's head, but Mist jumped back in time to dodge it. Ava then turned her Keyblade around so the teeth were facing the ground and stabbed it into the floor, sending a mound of earth flying toward Mist, who held up her hand and blew it to pieces with a thunder spell. Ava used the following smoke to sprint and leap up, landing on Mist's shoulders and knocking her onto her back. She whirled back around and slammed her blade down where the puppet was lying, but Mist rolled to the side and brought her feet kicking strongly upward, connecting to Ava's face and launching her into the air. She then quickly leaped into the air after her as Ava furiously spun in mid-air to face her. "Enough of this!" she yelled angrily as he held back her Keyblade and began to glow with light. Mist growled like an animal and continued to soar toward her. Ava screamed and at the last second, brought her blade crashing down. Mist barely had time to hold up her hand and aim before the pink haired girl's Keyblade struck her all the way from the shoulder down to her hip. Ava grimaced as her eyes returned to their normal lifeless green and the body fell back toward the roof of the castle.

It was when Light carelessly cast a gust of wind to knock his host's mother's body off the roof that Ava knew Pierce definitely was not in control. "Pierce, no offense but your mother was a real…..!" she began.

"Ava!" Sora yelled from behind her. She turned just in time to block Terra's Keyblade as the hulking brown haired puppet swung his Keyblade down toward her. Ava glared at him and managed to dive between his legs. She then instantly shot back to her feet and struck him across the back. Terra snarled and turned around, not even slowing down.

"That was the thing about Terra! Gosh, he was slow, but he could always take more damage than the rest of us! Don't let him hit you either!" Sora yelled to her as he ran up and planted both of his feet on Terra's chest, kicking off a second later and sending the puppet stumbling backwards a few feet. Sora landed again and flexed his hand out, shooting Terra with a bolt of lightning. Ava sneaked around and ran up behind him, leaping into the air to swing at his head, but Terra immediately turned and punched her so hard that she fell back through the air and crashed into one of the remaining walls. She groaned and slid to the ground, temporarily dazed. But the distraction gave Sora the opportunity to impale him from behind. Terra roared for several moments before finally collapsing. Sora looked over at Ava, who unsteadily got to her feet. He smiled at her, but realizing there were still two fights going on in their area, he quickly ran over to help her move away from the edge. **(end Another Side)**

**(Dark Impetus, Birth By Sleep)**

Marek ran forward a few steps and slid onto his knees as Jack dove through the air at him. The puppet twirled in the air as they passed each other and stabbed his blade into the ground, anchoring him and using the momentum to spin around and fly the other way. Marek barely held up his Keyblade in time to stop his brother from crashing into him. Jack's full force and momentum crashed against his blade and sent him flying back through the air. Close to the edge, he managed to find his footing, but Jack was right there again, and he snarled as he jumped up and spin-kicked his white haired brother off the roof. Marek sighed as he fell backwards into a dark portal and disappeared. Jack looked around in confusion for a few seconds, until Marek reappeared behind him in the air and soared down toward him. He swung his blade downward, but in less than a second, Jack turned and swung his own, blocking the strike. He then leaped up and clashed blades with Marek in a flurry of swift attacks. Marek grit his teeth as Jack leaped high into the air and flipped forward before crashing down on top of him.

Marek groaned as he fell down toward the ground and slammed into it. He shook his head quickly and got back to his feet right as Jack came at him again. He rolled to the side as Jack swung down at him, causing the puppet's blade to sink into the stone ground. As Jack tried to pull it back out, Marek quickly ran back up and brought his Keyblade up, swinging toward the sky and cutting off Jack's left hand. The puppet quickly roared and flexed his other hand, sending Marek off his feet with a quake spell. He glanced down at his hand and roared as he picked up his blade with his right hand and held it up.

"Jack, this time I'm the one who knows he's gonna win." Marek said calmly as he held up his own from where he was standing several yards away. Jack snarled and dove through the air at him, holding his blade behind his head and ready to strike. Marek smirked as a dark portal appeared underneath his feet and he instantly sank into it. Jack, having lost the battle-ready mind of his original person, did not know what had happened and thus did not alter his course or speed as he soared across the platform headfirst.

It was then that a dark portal opened underneath him at the perfect second. Marek shot of it with a yell and cleanly sliced right through Jack's midsection as he flew past. The white haired Rikkison flipped in the air and landed in a half-crouch. **(end Dark Impetus) **

A moment later, Jack's body landed several feet behind him, and the last of Lorans' puppets was at rest. Or so Marek thought as Jack angrily got up one more time and charged empty handed. Marek sighed as he leaned back and punched Jack as hard as he could in the face. With that, his brother stumbled backward toward the edge and fell backwards with a groan. Marek smirked as he wiped the blood off his knuckles. "God, I've been waiting to do that." he said out loud. Sora and Ava ran up to him, and they both looked over at the last fight that was happening, and it was impossible to tell who was winning, Lorans or Light.

**(Light's Theme, Protectors of the Earth, Two Steps From Hell)**

"Just because you're Light does not mean that you will save the worlds! I know the future that you will create! There is nothing left in that world!" Lorans yelled as he swung his stained blade at Light, who simply flexed a hand and sent his own Keyblade flying at the hooded man. Lorans tried to block it, but got knocked onto his back by the ferocity of the attack.

"You humans are all so simple. Of course I am going to destroy everything. That is the only way to extinguish the darkness from every heart!" Light argued calmly. Lorans sighed and looked at the three of them.

"You must help me this one time! If he escapes us today, then my future will come to pass!" he begged them. Ava looked at the other two. Sora sighed and stepped forward to help Lorans with understanding in his eyes. Marek looked at her and silently raised his Keyblade toward Light, who just laughed slowly and prepared to battle them all.

Sora aimed his Keyblade and summoned a large block of ice that appeared over Light and descended toward him. Light merely flicked his wrist and the ice dissolved instantly. Marek leaped high into the air as his blade glowed with darkness. He let out a yell as he shot down and swung straight across Light's chest, leaving a black line where he had struck. Light dashed forward toward Marek, holding Pierce's Keyblade in his hand and swung hard toward Marek, who barely managed to block it.

At the same time, Ava leaped up from behind and struck him in the back. Light groaned and repulsed with power, sending her flying away from him. Lorans appeared out of nowhere and punched upward, his fist connecting to Light's chin. Light groaned and stumbled backward, still hovering slightly off the ground. As Sora and Ava came in again, he roared and stretched his arms out, sending both of them stumbling back toward the stairway leading up. "This battle is for the three superior entities, not lesser beings." Light growled as he lifted his arms up. A barrier appeared around him, Lorans, and Marek, blocking the other two from helping. Lorans glanced at Marek, who looked back at him calmly.

"Pierce, we're here! Don't stop fighting him!" Ava yelled from the side. Light momentarily glanced at her, and suddenly clutched his head.

"Pierce?" Marek called out. Light groaned as his glowing white eyes that were so like the puppets' narrowed in pain.

"No…..stop combating me from within, you little wretch! I am in control, and you never will be AGAIN!" he roared, repulsing again, fully back in control.

"Pierce, don't stop fighting him! We're here for you!" Sora yelled as Lorans slowly inched around to get behind Light.

"We're all here!" Lulu suddenly yelled as she and Kain appeared at the stairs. Light groaned and clutched his head again. Lorans leaped forward with a yell and struck him in the back. Light looked up and roared in pain. The barrier was lifted, and the other four quickly ran in to help. Light looked up at them, and spoke with Pierce's voice.

"You need to go! I can't hold him!" he yelled desperately. As the others readied their weapons, Ava calmly put hers down and walked up toward him. **(end Light's Theme)**

"Pierce…." she whispered, slowly walking up to Light, who was groaning and clutching his head again. He looked up at her, and his eyes were flashing from green to white repeatedly. "Pierce, I love you! You can do this!" she told him firmly. He stared at her, his eyes completely green for several moments, so she walked right up to him and touched his flaming body. Despite appearances, the flames didn't burn her. They were cool to the touch and did not cause her any pain. "Pierce….come back to me." she whispered. He continued staring at her, but he floated down so his feet were planted on the ground. She reached up and gently pulled his face toward hers and kissed him on the lips. "Pierce, everything's gonna be okay. You still have me." she whispered. In the next moment, several things happened at once.

Light's eyes turned back to white.

Lorans, Sora, and Marek all lunged at once with Keyblades raised.

Kain and Lulu both screamed Ava's name. **(Jack's Theme 2{Revealed Truth, FFX})**

Ava felt a massive jolt and slowly looked down in disbelief at the Keyblade that Pierce-Light had stabbed through her chest. Light chuckled darkly and pulled it back out. Ava slowly reached up a hand and touched her wound, then she fell backwards, only to be caught by Lulu, who gently laid her on the ground and tried to do whatever she could.

Lorans, Sora, Marek, and Kain all surrounded Light with weapons ready and angry faces(except Lorans, who still had a normal expression underneath his hood), and they all prepared to attack at once as Light suddenly began to fade. Patches of his white flaming body began to chip away and disappear. He frowned in angry surprise as Pierce's boots could be seen again. One of his hands could be seen next, and it reached over and tore off Light's other hand. With both hands back in control, Pierce reached up and tore hard at his chest, ripping off all but Light's shoulders and head. "It does not end like this, little Rikkison! I will never be killed, and I will always be within you seeking control!" Light screamed as Pierce reached to his face and pulled it off. The last of the white flames vanished into the air and Pierce gasped for breath as he stood fully up and walked over to Ava without a glance at anyone else.

"Ava…." he whispered, tears already forming in his eyes. She coughed up blood, most of it staying on her face, but he wiped it away right away.

"Pierce, don't blame yourself." she whispered. He shook his head as tears rolled down his face. He gently touched her cheek.

"This wasn't supposed to happen. I was supposed to take vengeance for my family's murder, and maybe die in the attempt. You were never supposed to….." he began, but was choked by his tears. He couldn't say another word, he just reached down and kissed her on the lips. She smiled sadly at him.

"Pierce, I need you to promise me something." she said. He slowly nodded.

"Anything for you, Ava." he replied between chokes. She swallowed hard before speaking.

"I want you to promise me that you will keep fighting. Do not fight out of anger, and do not fight for vengeance. Fight to save the worlds, as your father did before you. Make him proud, and be a worthy Rikkison." she whispered as the others except Lorans silently gathered around them. Pierce nodded.

"I promise, Ava. I will fight to protect everything. You're the only one I have left. I can't lose you." he said, starting to sob. She shook her head.

"You have your uncle, and you still have a group to lead. You can't give up. I know how much you've lost already, but you must be prepared to lose even more before your fight is over. If you choose not to fight, then you will lose everything. Pierce, you must finish what we as a group started, you and the few who remain." she told him firmly but softly. He was silent for several moments except for his sobs, but finally he nodded.

"I will finish our fight. For you, for Rayne, for my parents, and for everyone else who sacrificed everything for it. I love you." he told her softly. She smiled and reached up to touch his face gently.

"And I love you, Pierce. No matter where you go, I will always be with you. I will never stop loving you. And I will be waiting for you on the other side, for the faraway day that we will see each other again. This isn't the end, Pierce. One day you will see all of us again. I love you, with all my heart. Never forget that…" she told him softly. He nodded and reached down, kissing her one more time.

By the time he leaned back, she was gone. He slowly closed her eyes and stood up, turning away from her and looking to Lorans, who stood across the platform, facing them. Lulu gently set Ava's head down on the floor and picked up her sickles again as she stood next to Kain, who was standing to Pierce's left. Marek stood to his nephew's right, followed by Sora. "Lorans, this ends. I don't know when or where, but this will end. I will kill you. But before that happens, I want to see your face." Pierce told him simply. Lorans sighed, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You mean….you don't know who he is?" Sora asked from where he was standing. Kain and Lulu shook their heads, but Marek just narrowed his eyes. Pierce glanced at him and instantly knew that Marek had long ago figured out Lorans' true identity. Lorans sighed as he held up his Keyblade. They reacted by raising their weapons. **(end Revealed Truth) **

**(Lorans' Theme{False King, Two Steps From Hell})**

"If I had wanted to attack you, I would have done so while you were holding the girl. I only wish to show you three something." he told them, pointing at Pierce, Lulu, and Kain. He reached up and waved his Keyblade across the air in front of them. Immediately, the letters for his name LORANS formed in the air in front of them and hung there.

"As you might have guessed, Lorans is not my true name. But as I told you before, in my time in the future, I was a new member of the Light's Enforcers. Thus, a nickname given to me by members such as Riku and Jack was 'New Light.' This is where the L and the N came from." he explained, shifting his Keyblade. The two letters vanished. "The remaining letters are my name with the letters switched around." he finished, setting his Keyblade on the ground and reaching up to his hood as the letters rearranged themselves.

The letters formed the word that Pierce muttered right as Lorans pulled back his hood and revealed his face to them for the first time.

"Sora." Pierce whispered with narrowed eyes. Indeed, Lorans was Sora, but he was different from their Sora standing among them. He was much taller, and much broader and thicker, attributing to the broadness of his shoulders. In addition, five long scars ran across his face, Sora realizing that they came from Jack's last stand at the beginning of the Purge.

"You are not surprised?" he asked Marek, who just shook his head calmly.

"When I began hearing rumors about Sora being alive and captive, I put the pieces together. Why else would you so avidly seek Soriah AND keep Sora alive, despite him being one of the most powerful Keybladers of our time? I knew long ago." he explained. Lorans smiled as he looked at the others.

"My past self knows where he stands." he said simply. Everyone but Pierce looked to their Sora, who looked at the ground and slowly nodded. A moment later, he walked out from among them and went to stand by his future self. It was then that Pierce got a good look at Lorans.

Although his hair was still spiky, it had started to gray, and Lorans' face seemed visibly older, so he placed him somewhere in his late forties or early fifties. "You killed Kairi!" Pierce suddenly realized. Lorans sadly nodded.

"It was not something I could let pass. I promised my time's Jack that I would leave no survivors that were not necessary to the success of my mission. I already broke it for Soriah, and I was not going to break it for anyone else. In truth, he only wanted me to stop Light, but I realized that the entire LE would die before they let me near you, Pierce, so I knew I had to take them out of the picture. Everyone else was just circumstantial sacrifices." he explained calmly. Kain angrily twirled his lance.

"So Rayne was just a sacrifice?! Terra and Shin were only that?!" he yelled furiously. Pierce had to agree with Kain, although Terra and Shin's deaths were news to him. It still hit him hard.

"Ava was only circumstantial?! She had to die because she was here at this moment?!" he roared, raising his blade. Lorans sighed.

"I did not kill Ava. _You_ did, Pierce." he said calmly. Pierce screamed furiously as he ran at Lorans with every intention to cut the other man's head off. But in that instant, a cloud surrounded both Soras, and the younger one was now holding Soriah in his hands. In another instant, they disappeared. Pierce furiously struck the floor with his blade so hard that it left a crack deep enough to fit it in up to the hilt.

"LORANS!" he screamed as Marek, Kain, and Lulu picked up Ava's body and began to head for the stairs. **(end Lorans' Theme)**

LATER…

Pierce silently stood by and watched as Marek and Kain filled up the final grave. They were in the same place as the now dusty graves of Rayne and Griffin, but four new graves were now next to them, along with graves for all the bodies of the original LE. Ven's was the first they had finished. Terra and Shin were put side by side with their swords stuck in the ground at the foot of theirs. Finally, Ava's was on the end, but Pierce didn't have the heart to look at it. All he knew was that one day soon, he didn't care what it cost him anymore. Lorans was going to pay for everything he had done. He didn't even care that he was Sora. He just knew that he was going to do whatever it took to kill him.

**The story continues in the finale…Part 4.**

**I know a lot happened this chapter, but I feel like some of you will view this chapter a masterpiece while some of you will absolutely hate it. But either way, I hope the chapter was up to standards and I hope I lived up to expectations with Lorans' reveal.**

**Alright, Twilight and Bezerker, go ahead and say it. You told me so ;D**

**Look out for the final piece of the story, Part 4, coming within the next few days! Stay tuned and be prepared! Alright, well I'll see you all later! **


	61. Part 4 IntroCh 61: Family Loyalty

**Alright, well I'm gonna be pumping out chapters as quick as possible to get this story finished. The simple fact is I have like 2 and a half weeks before I go back to school. It sucks, I know, but I want to finish this story and still have as much time as possible to start planning for my next story, and I won't be able to do that when school is starting back up. But anyway, shout outs:**

**Gohan Roxas: Well in a few chapters time, you'll know, haha! **

**Shadowdragon1317: He's still the same Sora, willing to do whatever he has to to save the worlds. Thanks!**

**13TheAce: I'm sorry, haha! She was a lot of people's favorites, I know. Really? Well I was kinda hoping that was something that people noticed. It was one of the early hints. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Yes, I know you called it, haha. I guess it was a little too obvious. Because it was the first murder within the group since Griffin killed Rayne. Plus, Pierce had already lost everyone to malicious enemies. I knew when I decided to kill Ava that he needed to be forced to do it. That makes him even more unstable than he was after Rayne died. Thanks!**

**Lucenthia: Ha, well trust me I love OCs, as long as they fit into the story like Ava, Shin, and Luriel do. I just can't stand when someone puts one in and they have no believable backstory and they just make them completely overpowered. Even back when I was just starting as an author, I made sure Jack got kicked around, because he's just like anyone else in the canon KH universe, albeit better trained than most Keybladers(trained by Xehanort, Eraqus, AND Yen Sid). Sora gets kicked around a few times, Riku gets beaten, Roxas, Lea, TAV, they all get beaten at some point. Wow, I just rambled a lot, sorry…**

**Celeron96: Ha, yeah I guess you're right. She was trying to reach out to him, and she did momentarily, but Light was just too strong for Pierce, until he was overcome by rage. Yes, Sora knew who Lorans was. That's the only reason Sora sided with him, because Lorans showed him some of the future. I could have sworn he revealed himself somewhere in one of the earlier chapters, but I'm not sure.**

**Bezerker21: I know. You definitely have cause to hate me, especially because I have no plans of bringing anyone back from the dead at the end. **

**Legionary Prime: Nope, ten more chapters, bud! **

**The Unknowing Herald: Awesome! I wanted her death to be different from the others'. Ha I know right? But thank you for being the confidant that I needed earlier on. I needed someone to confirm that Lorans' backstory would work, and it obviously has, so thank you, man. Yeah I see what you're saying. **

**MEleeSmasher: Ha, yeah um…?**

**Well, you know who I own. Celeron owns Luriel. That's it now. Holy crap, I've killed a lot of people! Haha…**

Part 4 Intro/Chapter 61: Family Loyalty

_2 months after the events of Part 3…._

After that fateful day that still burned clear as daylight at the forefront of Pierce's mind, the remaining members of the second LE and their allies stayed one group for a small amount of time. But within a couple weeks, only Pierce remained. One by one, the world leaders had returned home, returning to their daily lives and worldly affairs.

It was with heavy hearts from each of them that the four remaining members of the group had returned to their ruined camp in the Land of Departure ruins. Tensions quickly ran high between all of them, and it was clear to everyone that Pierce was no longer clear minded enough to lead. When Marek and Kain brought this up, the black haired teen wouldn't listen to them. Not long after that, Kain left the group, taking Lulu with him and returning to Baron or God knows where. Marek stayed by his nephew's side as long as he could tolerate him, but after a little over a month and not seeing any improvement in Pierce's mood and behavior, he too left his side.

And now Pierce continued his fight alone, all the while doing his utmost to keep Light suppressed and contained.

He had been avidly searching across all the worlds for any signs of Lorans, Sora, and the remaining puppet, Xion. But in two months, he had heard nothing. He could only guess what was happening with Soriah. Currently, he had stopped in Camelot to attend Arthur's ceremony.

CAMELOT, GREAT HALL/THRONE ROOM…

He was standing in the front row next to Gwaine and Percival. Sir Leon was standing in front of the two thrones. In one sat Guinevere, who was tearfully wiping her eyes and breathing very slowly. Pierce suddenly looked back and saw Merlin standing just inside the doors, trying to stay hidden. He did not understand why, but he knew the other man's pain. Although right then, he felt like he understood Gwen's pain more. "The king…is dead!" Leon suddenly called out. Everyone in the room sadly nodded as the leader of the Camelot knights turned and looked at Gwen. "Long live the queen!" he yelled, immediately echoed by every voice in the room. Pierce nodded, but could not find his voice to shout the words. Instead, he nodded to Gwaine and walked out into the aisle, passing by Gaius, who was silent, and made his way toward the back. Merlin saw him coming and quickly walked out.

"Merlin!" Pierce called out as he walked out of the hall. Merlin sighed and stopped, slowly turning and looking at him.

"Pierce….." he greeted cautiously, but walked up and hugged him briefly.

"Merlin, have you heard anything?" Pierce asked him in a monotone voice. Merlin sighed and waited several moments before speaking.

"Marek came through here a week ago. He said Sora and Xion found Lulu about two weeks ago. She's stranded in Twilight Town with no way to get out. He's trying to find her, but she's pretty well hidden. He also said that Lorans knows where Kain is, and he'll attack Baron soon." he told him. Pierce sighed and nodded.

"So I guess that means I have to go find my uncle then?" he asked. Merlin nodded.

"Do you have any idea where he could be?" he asked. Pierce glanced at the floor.

"Of course I do. He'll be at home." he said simply. Merlin nodded and stepped aside so that Pierce could pass.

"Just be careful. I know how many people you've lost, Pierce. Don't let that cloud your judgment." he told him, however. Pierce grunted and walked out the door.

"Take care of yourself, Merlin. I will find out how to beat Lorans, and when I have him at my mercy, I will cut his damn head off for what he did to Ava, and my family. This will probably be the last time we see each other, so I wish you well." he replied as he walked into the castle courtyard and leaped into the sky, summoning his rider in one fluid motion and disappearing into the clouds.

DESTINY ISLANDS, SOME TIME LATER….

"Marek!" Pierce yelled as he kicked and swung his way through the wreckage that once was their home. He got no response, so he pushed his way farther through the ruined house until he found the hidden passageway that Rayne had taken him, Ava, and Griffin to when their journey had first started. It all felt like so many years ago before everything happened. Everyone was still alive, he and Griffin were friends, they had a simple life, training to follow in his father's footsteps as a Keyblader. He knew thinking about the past would only strengthen his pain and anger, which was the last thing he wanted to show to Marek if he needed his uncle's help.

He slowly descended down into the darkness and cast a fire spell that lit up the long and winding passage before him. As he silently walked down the stone hallway, he couldn't help but see images and flashes of himself and the other three coming down this same hallway. And it was then that he shockingly realized that he was the only Keyblader to come out of the Purge alive now. After Eraqus had been killed and Mickey had turned his back on the Keyblade, only he, Ava, Griffin, and Rayne were left. Of course, Marek was out there but they had no idea where to find him. Their journey began with the four of them: Pierce, Ava, Griffin, and Rayne. Now he was the only one left. He saw a blurry image of his younger and fearful self first walking through these corridors. Back then, he had no scar, he still had his natural brown hair, and he knew not his purpose or his place among the LE. But now here he was, seventeen years old and alone, fighting his own battles.

As he walked farther in, he passed the room and the wardrobe that had contained Jack's old battle gear. Pierce absentmindedly reached up to his headband and gently touched it for a few seconds as he passed by the chamber. He then remembered the recording that his father had left for him. _"My only advice to you, my son, is this: do not let anyone else control your destiny." _those were the words that Jack had wanted to tell his son in that moment. He knew all along that there had to be a reason for what his father had told him, but only now did he realize it. Jack knew that Pierce would go through even more and unbearable pain before this struggle was over, and he knew his son would begin to stray from his path. Pierce suddenly realized that this entire time, Lorans had been manipulating him. From the moment he had forced Pierce from his home, all the way up to now when he killed half of the close group that the young Rikkison had put together, he wasn't controlling his own destiny. Lorans was forging it for him, predicting what retaliations he would make and weighing the consequences.

Pierce sighed angrily as he walked into the small hangar where Rayne's ship had been housed. He wasn't surprised in the slightest to find a small but neat camp set up in the cave. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised that you're here, little one." Marek said from seemingly nowhere. But after only a couple seconds, Pierce saw him sitting in the shadows. The white haired Rikkison stepped into the light and returned to tidying up his little camp.

"Marek…." Pierce began, but was cut off.

"Lorans found Lulu. She's trapped in Twilight Town, but I'm sure you already know that. She's the one in more immediate danger, but she might already be dead. Kain's in danger, too. I knew when the group scattered that they were gonna be found quickly. So which one do we save?" he said, glancing at Pierce as he picked up the last bit of a loaf of bread and tossed it to him. Pierce caught it and immediately realized how hungry he was, wolfing it down in seconds.

"I think we need to do what we can to save them both. Kain can handle himself for now. We need to go help Lulu. I know she's an able fighter, but I don't think she can take on Lorans alone. What do you think, Marek?" he asked. Marek shrugged his shoulders and stood up.

"I think we've waited for you to clear your head long enough. Either you're ready and capable of leading, or I'm taking charge until we rescue the others. But you know I'm with you, Pierce. We're the only family we've both got left, and I'll go to the ends of the earth for you." he said. Pierce opened his mouth to thank him, but Marek held up his hand. "Just…..don't ask me to." he said with a hint of a smile. Pierce smiled back as he glanced over at a small trunk. He curiously walked over to it and opened the top. He was completely shocked to find it filled to the top with potions. The trunk was priceless itself, considering almost two years ago Lorans completely stopped the production of them and destroyed all he and the Council could find.

"You've been busy." he commented. Marek smirked.

"Bring what you can carry. The rest we'll have to come back for, assuming we do have a trip back here. Look around and take a long moment, Pierce. This may very well be the last time you see your old home." he instructed. Pierce nodded and silently looked around them as the back wall opened up, revealing an opening wide enough for a gummi ship to fit through and allowing him to look out at the horizon.

And several minutes later, as both Rikkisons soared out on their riders with hoods on, Pierce glanced back at what would be the last time he would see his home.

**Well, I hope the setup leaves you wanting more, at least! It's definitely not one of my best chapters. In fact, it's one of my least favorites, but oh well. There was no way it was gonna trump last chapter, so I'll get over it. Only nine chapters left, guys! Let's get to 500 reviews! I know we can do it!**


	62. Ch 62: Roses and Thorns

**Hey guys. Only five shout outs today. But who knows. I might update again later tonight. But shout outs:**

**Shadowdragon1317: I myself have only been on the site for almost a year. Yep, I feel the same way! **

**Celeron96: Well thanks! Looking forward to the next chapter of DW!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Yep, only nine, including this one! I'm so ready to finish it, though. You having writer's block again? **

**Lucenthia: Remember, Pierce really isn't in his right mind right now. He's just trying to seem normal enough so Marek will help him. It was Pierce who chased his surviving companions away, but he still can't see it because of his grief. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Oh, trust me, it will. Pierce isn't gonna be his normal self until….I'll just leave it at that. **

**Alright, so I own Pierce, Marek, Lorans, and Soriah. Celeron96 owns Luriel. Enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter 62: Roses and Thorns

"Lorans has already been seen in the town, so we should be prepared before we go in." Marek advised as they soared through the Lanes on their Keyblade riders. Pierce didn't hear a single word he said. His mind was somewhere completely different.

"Yeah." he muttered absent mindedly. Marek glanced in his direction and shook his head slightly.

"Lulu's gonna need both of us, Pierce. Stay focused, or we might as well not even go in." he told him firmly. Pierce sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Why aren't we using the dark portals?" he asked in irritation. Marek groaned angrily.

"I told you three times already! Lorans blocked off the darkness from Twilight Town. I think he's hoping to lure Light in so he can end this now." he replied, his temper quickly rising. Pierce grunted and began sloping downward as they neared Twilight Town.

MEANWHILE, OLD MANSION…..

"Tell me all you know about Marek's whereabouts." Lorans told his prisoner firmly. He was standing in a large white room, located underground. The room had long ago contained a sleeping pod big enough to hold the teenage Sora, a memory that Lorans knew well. He no longer wore his white cloak or hood. He had cast it away and now wore nothing but his white and golden armor.

Where the pod used to stand was now a raised platform with black and heavy chains flowing all around in. Standing in the center of that platform, beaten and bruised, was Luriel. At her feet lay her twin sickles, both broken near the handle. "Like I'm gonna tell you anything." she told him boldly, one arm already hanging limp at her side, the other chained and held straight up over her head. Lorans sighed as he stepped toward her.

"Even if you don't tell me, Sora and my last remaining puppet are dealing with the dragoon as we speak. So speak now and I will spare you. You are not a threat, and I will let you go. Otherwise, I'll kill you and then learn it anyway before your companion falls." he told her. She spat at his face and held her glare. He stared at her calmly for several moments, until the door behind them opened and a soldier walked in.

"Sir, the two Rikkisons have been spotted in the tram common area. They are heading here as we speak." he said respectfully. Lorans nodded to him.

"Good. Dismissed." he replied. The soldier bowed and quickly walked back out. Lorans looked back at Lulu as he pulled a large dagger out of a sheath on his hip. "So Pierce and Marek are coming to save you." he told her as he stabbed the dagger into her left thigh. She let out an echoing scream and slumped forward as he pulled it back out. "A pity they won't arrive in time." he told her with a smirk.

"Kill me if you want. You'll still gain nothing, and you will never win! Pierce will beat you in the end. He won't stop for anything until he's finished what we all set out to do. My only regret is that Ava died that day instead of me. Perhaps if Pierce still would have had her, then he never would have lost sight of our purpose, and all this suffering would have ended long ago." she told him resolutely. Lorans smirked as he twirled his bloody knife.

"Let us wait for your friends to arrive then. Perhaps Pierce can decide for himself whether to save you or not." he told her menacingly.

BARON, THRONE ROOM…..

Kain calmly walked up to where Cecil was sitting. "Kain, what is it?" Cecil asked him. The holy dragoon sighed and crossed his arms.

"I fear we are no longer safe. The kingdom is in danger as long as I remain here. Lorans and Sora know where I am, and they have already found Luriel. I still think that I should have gone to save her." he explained. Cecil shook his head.

"I told you already, Kain. We need you here. You heard Edge's report yourself. More Immortals appear every day. Lorans is gathering what's left of his forces, and he will attack those who faced him in Radiant Garden. You fulfilled your promise to Jack. You kept Pierce safe as long as you could, but now he is walking a path that you cannot follow him on. You have done all you can, Kain." he told his oldest friend. Kain sighed and nodded slightly, but he knew he didn't like just sitting in the castle waiting for an attack on the city. He knew his place was with Pierce and Marek, but he also felt bound to the fate of his home world.

TRAVERSE TOWN…..

Mickey was overseeing the repairs on the remaining gummi ships that he and his people had salvaged from their previous battle when Donald and Goofy came up to him." Donald, Goofy, what's going on?" he greeted them. They both looked at him nervously, and were hesitant in speaking.

"Your majesty, don't you think Pierce could use another Keyblade master's help?" Goofy finally asked him. Mickey sighed sadly.

"Goofy, you know as well as I do that I'm not a wielder anymore. When I joined the Council to keep our kingdom safe, Lorans destroyed my Keyblade." he replied sadly. Donald shook his head.

"But King Mickey, you know as well as we do that a Keyblade can't be destroyed! You still have yours, you just have to try and summon it!" he squawked in protest. Mickey shook his head.

"Donald, if I could still summon it, I would have been fighting alongside the LE for these last two years. I can't." he told his friend. Donald and Goofy sighed sadly before walking back the way they came. Mickey watched them go, but thought long about what his friends had talked to him about. He nervously held his hand out and tried to summon his Keyblade.

TWILIGHT TOWN, MANSION ENTRANCE….

"There's no other way than just to storm the entrance?" Pierce asked as they crept up to the gates. Marek shook his head.

"I have no idea where they're holding her, so unless I search every room with the portals, this is our best bet." he replied. Pierce nodded, summoning his Keyblade.

"Well then, at least I can take some of my anger out." he said evenly, his eyes alight with anger as he dashed around the wall and charged with a war cry. **(Sinister Sundown, KH2)**

There were only a small group of soldiers standing outside the front doors, and Pierce thought it would be a piece of cake. Even as he and Marek cut down most of them, the leader(he was the only one wearing a helmet) threw his hand up into the air. A moment later, countless Immortals flooded the area, surrounding the two Rikkisons. "You and your blind fury…." Marek taunted in irritation.

"Shut up!" Pierce told him angrily and lunged forward, swinging wide and cutting threw three at once. Marek leaped up and threw his Keyblade into the horde of white bodies. He held up both of his hands, which began to glow with darkness. He raised them over his head and let out a yell as he brought them swiftly back down and sent a massive bal of dark energy flying into the midst of Immortals, triggering an explosion in the center of them and blowing many of them to smithereens.

Pierce twirled his blade around and swiftly swung twice, cutting down a line of advancing Immortals. He turned just in time to block a line of gunfire from the captain, who was the only soldier still standing now. But before Pierce could get to him, more Immortals blocked his path. He immediately prepared to engage them, but glanced around and found himself completely surrounded. To his right, he saw flashes of darkness and bodies flying everywhere, so he knew Marek was still fighting, but he couldn't see anyone else, and he knew the captain was just continuously calling in more and more Immortals, so he was his target.

He quickly began cutting down those closest to him, but he knew it was futile. Then suddenly, the Immortals stopped coming. He spun in a circle and sliced all those near him in half. He could see the mansion entrance now, and to his great shock, saw Kain standing over the body of the captain, holding his lance tightly. The dragoon turned and quickly joined the fight. With his aid, it wasn't long before the battle was over. **(end Sinister Sundown)**

"Kain?" Marek asked in surprise as he cut down the last Immortal. Kain nodded solemnly.

"I am here, but I fear we may already be too late to save her." he replied. Pierce nodded and ran up, kicking the doors open and running into the mansion, Kain and Marek right behind him.

"Indeed, you are!" Lorans yelled, appearing on the balcony above the stairs at the back of the room. The three of them skidded to a halt and looked up at him. Sora was to his right(holding Soriah's hand, who was standing next to him), and the empty puppet Xion was to his left, his only remaining allies.

"Lorans! You will pay for everything!" Pierce yelled at him furiously. Lorans rolled his eyes, gently running a hand across the claw marks covering his face.

"This is all your pitiful excuse for a father managed to give me before I killed him! What makes you think you can do any better?" he asked back. Pierce growled angrily and took a step forward, but Marek put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"You…..killed the girl?!" Sora asked Lorans in shock and disgust. Lorans just grunted and looked back at them.

"In time, you will all find solace in the afterlife! But for today, my appetite is sated." he told them simply, raising his arms and making all four of them disappear in a flash of light.

"Find her!" Marek said urgently. Kain nodded and quickly ran over to check the room on the ground floor, but came back with nothing.

"Check the basement." Pierce said quietly.

MANSION, BASEMENT….

"Bahamut's mane…" Kain muttered as they walked into the pod room. **(Why instrumental, Crisis Core)**

"No…." Marek whispered. Pierce just looked on without emotion.

In the middle of the room, on a raised platform, was Luriel. She was still chained, her arms hanging above her head, keeping her up. Her legs were limply beneath her, no longer supporting her. Multiple wounds were covered in blood, but it was no longer flowing. Her head was drooped down, her chin resting against her chest, but her eyes were still wide open. Lorans must have done it on purpose to give them one more horror to look upon.

Marek silently walked up and cut her down. He gently laid her on the ground and closed her eyes before picking her up and slowly heading for the door. Kain sadly glanced at Pierce, who still showed no emotion as they followed Marek outside.

LATER…..

"She deserved better. We shouldn't have left her alone like that. We should have protected her." Kain muttered as they stood in their own graveyard. Marek had finally been able to use a dark portal to travel and had taken them to Radiant Garden to bury their companion.

"She wasn't the best sweet talker I've ever met, but she knew how to stand her ground. She stood up to Lorans. Not everyone in our group would have done that. She was a good person, and loyal to the end." Marek said as they all looked at the newest grave.

"We've lost another close friend because of Lorans' insanity. But her sacrifice won't be in vain, just like everyone else's." Kain agreed sadly. Pierce just stared at Lulu's gravestone for a few moments and turned away.

"It's just another log on the fire." he said simply, walking away from them. **(end Why)**

"Pierce! You're not going anywhere." Marek said dangerously. The tone of his voice caused Pierce to cringe slightly and stop walking. He slowly turned back around and looked at his uncle. "This…." Marek began, gesturing to Lulu's grave, "happened because YOU won't think straight! You're blinded by grief and anger, and it will cost you more than you ever lost before! You're determined to be the poor pitiful teenager and you want everyone to understand and listen to you forever whine about your misery and how unfair your life has been! Well you know what, Pierce? LIFE ISN'T FAIR. You have no idea the kind of life that I have lived, even before the Purge happened and I lost my entire family just like you did! You think I was immune to that pain? I felt it just as much as you, _kid_, so stop thinking you've been through so much crap and that you're the only one who's lost friends and loved ones! So snap back to reality, before you let everything else you care about fall to hell!" he yelled furiously.

Pierce was taken completely aback by his uncle's sudden outburst, and swallowed hard, allowing himself to actually think about what was going on. For the first time since Ava had passed, he allowed his emotions to take over. He looked over at Lulu's grave and realized what his ignorance and stubbornness had cost him. He sank onto his knees, and then slowly sat completely down, setting his arms across his raised knees and resting his face on top of them, crying openly.

Marek and Kain looked at each other. The white haired man had not been sure that yelling at his nephew would work, but it seemed to shock him back to his senses, at least for now. He walked over and calmly sat down next to his nephew, not really knowing what to do, so he gently put his hand on Pierce's shoulder to let him know he wasn't alone. Kain nodded and walked over to them. The two older men let Pierce cry his tears, and when he was finished, they all stood up together and faced each other. "I'll save the rest of my grief, for when Lorans is finished." Pierce promised them. Marek nodded.

"We began this fight with ten members of the group. Now there are only three of us. But Lorans can be sure of one thing. Only until we are all dead, or he is, will he stop in our mission. We will finish what everyone started, no matter what happens." he told them solemnly. Kain and Pierce nodded.

"For better or worse, this is the beginning of the end, of everything. Lorans better be ready, because we're coming for him." Pierce told them in determination.

**So I'm sure by now most of you know what I'm doing. But I hope I still have a few surprises around the corner, such as the history of the Rikkisons? XD well I hope you're as ready for the end as I am, cause I'm so ready to finish this story up. Four months is a long time for me to be working on something, so give me some credit. Alright, well I'll start another chapter tonight, but I probably won't get it out till tomorrow. See ya and don't forget to review!**


	63. Ch 63: The End Begins

**Hey guys! Well here I am, already working on the next one! Shout outs:**

**Lucenthia: Thanks, and um I don't know you think Pierce's was. Marek has white hair. If it said Pierce has white hair then it was a typo. **

**MEleeSmasher: Well, we'll see, won't we!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Awesome, and he meant mentally. Pierce didn't care at the time what happened. **

**Legionary Prime: Really? I don't know where. **

**Gohan Roxas: Ha, not quite, my friend! **

**13TheAce: Of course I had to kill her like that! At this point, which would have stirred more sad feelings, another death in battle or outright cold murder? Well you didn't have to wait long, huh? **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: She was a good person. That's what I really wanted to show in the last half of the story. Yep, he did! Do you want my help? I might be able to help you with some of it. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Yep, finally! And here it is already! **

**No. XIII: Well, I don't want to spoil any part of the ending, but I'll just say that you want to stick around for the remainder of the story. Thanks for giving me some input!**

**Celeron96: It's okay I'll squeeze you in now. Thanks on both counts! **

**Alright, so the smallest roll call in the story thus far: I own, Pierce, Marek, Lorans, and Soriah. That's it! Everything else besides most of the plot is owned by Disney, Square Enix, BBC. **

Chapter 63: The End Begins

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice." Pierce began, looking around the table. They were standing in the old LE camp in the courtyard of the Land of Departure ruins. There was a big table set up in the middle of the camp, and all of their allies had gathered, one representing each world. Marek and Kain sat on either side of him, and around the table sat everyone else. Cloud sat in one seat as Gaia's representative, Tidus sat in another representing Spira, Robin sat in one for Nottingham, Cecil sat in one, Mickey sat in one, and then Gwaine represented Camelot in Arthur's absence due to Gwen not being used to commanding an army.

"We know Lorans is massing his forces, and we know he's preparing to return to his own time with our time's Sora. The reason for this is still unknown." Cloud spoke up.

"He's got a force of 20,000 Immortals massing as we speak." Gwaine added.

"He's taking his past self into the future so we can't touch him. That's the only way Lorans can be killed. I don't know exactly what, but he's connected to the events of both the future and the past. So we can't kill him when he first appeared, during the first Keyblade War, and we can't kill him in the future before he even appears there. At the same time, we can't kill him here. That's why he was able to take on the original LE in its entirety and come out unscathed. The only way to rid ourselves of him is to kill our Sora." Marek told them. This explanation earned several sounds of protest.

"Now you want to murder one of the universe's most revered and famous heroes?!" Tidus asked in shock. Kain sighed and stood up.

"Our group only consists of three people now. Who among you remembers what your force once was?" he asked them. Slowly, every one of them raised their hands. "Lorans, who is the future version of our Sora, killed our companions, not to mention the untold dozens of other murders he has committed. Mickey and Cloud used to sit on his Council. Do you not see that he is what our Sora will become in time? If we do not stop him now, then the future that Lorans came from will become reality in less than three years! Is that truly what you all want?!" he asked them incredulously. Mickey looked up solemnly and slowly shook his head.

"If there is truly no other choice, then we have to act. We've all seen the horrors that have happened because of this future that we all have yet to face, and we've seen the lengths to which Lorans is willing to go to make sure it doesn't come to pass. I'm with you, Pierce." he said, reaching out his hand and, to everyone's shock, summoning the Kingdom Key D to his hand.

Cecil stood up next. "I do not wish to see any more harm done to anyone or any of the worlds. And I and my world will gladly give our lives to help rid our universe of Lorans." he promised. Cloud stood up.

"I think you know where Zack and I stand." he told them simply. Pierce nodded and smiled as Tidus stood up.

"That bastard and his stupid Council took away everyone I cared about. You know Auron and I are in." he told them with a serious smile. Gwaine stood up.

"If Merlin were here, I know what he'd say, and Arthur would say the same thing as him. Camelot stands with the LE." he told Pierce, who just smiled even wider. Then Robin stood up.

"We've all suffered because of Lorans and the Council." he began, fingering the ring hanging around his neck that Pierce instantly knew had belonged to Marian. "Pierce, I think you know where we all stand." he told him. Pierce nodded as everyone around the table was now standing.

"Thank you all for agreeing to see this through to the end. I know I'm not my father. I wish I were in a lot of ways, but I'm not. I know he would have known exactly what to do." he told them in gratitude.

"Pierce, Jack would be glowing with pride at how far you've come." Mickey told him with a smile. Pierce couldn't help but smile back, even though he didn't agree.

"_He's right, son." _said the voice. **(Jack's Theme 1{Final Hour, X-Ray Dog})**

"Dad?" Pierce asked. Every head around the table turned and looked at where Pierce was looking. The ghostly blue figure of Jack was standing a little ways away from the table with a broad smile on his face.

"_I'm here. I've always been here. I cannot believe how much you've grown and how far you have come in the past two and a half years. Yes, you have your share of failings and faults, inherited from your father, I'm sorry to say. But I'm still proud of the fact that you stand tall on your own two feet now. You no longer seek my protection, or anyone else's. You are your own man, and I know that you will grow into one of the finest Keyblade masters the worlds have ever known. One day, I know you will even surpass me." _he told his son seriously. Pierce shook his head.

"I saw what you went through, Dad. I know the trials you faced, and all the battlefields and war torn landscapes of your own life that you lived through, and were a better man because of them. I don't have your tenacity and battlefield ferocity. I wasn't born and bred to fight like you were, and I'll never be a warrior and Keyblader like you." he replied. Jack slowly walked up to his son and got down on a knee in front of him.

"_Pierce, it isn't how many kills in battle you attain over your years of fighting, or the ferocity with which you fight that make you a worthy Keyblade wielder. It is by the decisions, and the choices we make, and the bonds we forge that determine our true valor. Pierce, you have a kind soul, and you easily trust others. That is something you must never forget about yourself. My biggest failing was not reaching out to others for help and guidance until the damage had already been done. I was already Xehanort's prodigal son by the time I learned to reach out to others. Don't make that same mistake. Do not let what Lorans has put you through change who you yourself are. Never forget how to be the man we raised you to be. For so long, Jason thought me to be the prophesied savior of the universe, but we were all wrong. I played my part, but it was never meant to be me. You were always meant to play this role. It was chosen for you, I'm afraid. But I know you will do what must be done, my son. Now is the time, and I know you will make us all proud. Don't ever forget, I'm always here, Pierce." _Jack told him solemnly.

Pierce couldn't help but smile slightly and cry silently for several moments at his father's heartfelt words. _"You're never alone, Pierce." _said a voice that he hadn't heard in nearly a year.

"Rayne?" he asked, swallowing hard as he saw her appear next to where Jack was standing. She nodded, a wide smile on her face.

_"You've never been alone. You think because we passed on that we weren't keeping an eye on you, but we have always been watching over you." _she told him calmly. He nodded slightly to her, and even more people appeared behind the two of them. Mist smiled proudly at him from Jack's side. Most of them were silent, just showing by their presence that they cared and were waiting for Pierce to end this. Like Jason and Eraqus, who just beamed at him proudly. Riku, his master, stepped forward though to say something.

_"Pierce, three years ago, you were nothing more than a trainee. You were a slow learner at first, and it wouldn't have been anyone's guess that you would lead the next generation like you have. You have come unbelievably far, over an incredibly hard journey. We all walked our own unique journeys, and you are no exception. Thus, I'm proud to proclaim you a master in the order of the Keyblade, also known as the Light's Enforcers. You are no longer an apprentice without a master. You are a master without an apprentice. I give you this title against normal tradition, which would be a mark of mastery exam, but considering how many masters are left, it seems fitting to do it this way. Pierce, my former apprentice, you are a Keyblade master, one of the last. Now only you, Mickey, and Marek remain of our entire order. You must stop at nothing to defeat Lorans." _he told him solemnly. Pierce was taken aback by his former master's words, but for the first time in months, actually felt somewhat happy.

_"You're doing great, Pierce." _Ven told him, smiling and giving him a thumbs up. Pierce smiled and nodded at him, looking among all the other ghosts. Terra and Shin were standing close to the side, hands intertwined and smiling.

_"You'd better do something to avenge us, Pierce, or so help me I'll come back to life just to kick your sorry behind." _Shin told him with a smirk. Pierce nodded as he exchanged a smile with Luriel, but kept searching through the crowd for the person he was looking for.

_"Pierce, someone else would like to say something to you." _Mist told him hintingly. He looked at his mother, who stepped to the side. Ava smiled as she walked out from the midst of the ghosts and slowly came toward him, her pink hair as long and straight as he remembered, her eyes just as piercing and beautiful.

"Ava..." Pierce whispered, tears forming in his eyes. She sighed and shook her head.

_"Pierce, no more tears. You have a mission to finish, and you have to save your grief for when Lorans is finished. Promise me that you will stay strong and stand tall. Promise me, sweetheart." _she told him firmly. He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to block the tears. He opened them a few seconds later and nodded.

"I promise, Ava." he told her. She smiled and reached up a hand to touch his cheek, despite both of them knowing that she would pass right through him. She still cupped her hand around his cheek and nodded.

_"You can do it, Pierce. You have to finish this. Not just for me, but for all of us." _she told him, gesturing to the group of ghosts standing behind her. He nodded.

"I will." he told her firmly. She smiled, and slowly stepped back toward the group.

_"Now is the time, Pierce. Remember everything that you have learned, and everything that is right. Only that will carry you through the darkest hour and on to the dawn. Now is the moment when you let your light shine through the darkness and forge your own destiny, as we did individually. Marek and Kain are at your side. You will win this battle, but you must stay true to yourself, and remember all that we have told you today. You can do this, son. We'll be with you every step of the way." _Jack told him sincerely. Pierce shared a solemn nod with his father, and in another couple moments, the group of deceased heroes vanished one by one.

It was then that he heard a voice from the living. "We're all here, Pierce. And we're ready to end this once and for all." Marek said from behind, putting a hand on his shoulder. Pierce nodded and turned to look at all of them, now standing behind Marek. **(end Jack's Theme)**

"Then we go. Gather your armies. We head for the Keyblade Graveyard, and end this once and for all." he told them firmly. They all nodded, and Marek and Kain shared a smile, finally knowing that Pierce was ready to lead once again.

**So the final battles shall begin! Here we are, finally! I hope you're all ready for it!**


	64. Ch 64: United We Stand, Divided We Fall

**Well, I'm glad everyone liked last chapter! From here on out, it's just battles and reveal chapters. I know you've all waited a long time to see the Rikkison history, and I hope what I have in store will be an enjoyable experience! Anyway, shout outs: **

**Lucenthia: Ha, well I used Jack's theme because he was the one that started the talking, and he is the closest to Pierce out of all of them. Plus, it kinda helps show that Pierce is starting to become the man and the leader that his father was by the end of RTDoD. Thanks so much!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Heh, yeah I know what you mean. I definitely will, thank you!**

**No. XIII: Well, there you go, haha! They will, as will Mickey, but they won't be in the heart of the fighting like our three mains are. **

**Izumi Natsuno: All good things must come to an end…..Thanks, and it's good to see you again!**

**Bezerker21: I looked it up, and it really does fit! Another song that I think fits Jack(Celeron pointed it out) is Redemption Blues from Red Dead Redemption. **

**The Unknowing Herald: So in other words, it was a touching chapter, haha?**

**13TheAce: Yep! Thanks, and I totally agree! **

**Celeron96: Ha, really? Thanks! Don't worry, you're fine, man!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Thanks, I wanted to bring up the fact that Riku was his master because I figured almost everyone would have forgotten it by now. **

**Well, here we finally are, the "final" battle! Notice the air quotes around final! So I own, Pierce, Marek, Lorans, and Soriah. Nothing else is mine and I'm making no profit off of this piece of work completely from my own mind. But am I the only one wishing Squeenix would read some of our stories and use those ideas for KH3 and beyond? Anyway, enjoy!**

Chapter 64: United We Stand, Divided We Fall

"You sure you're ready for this, Pierce?" Marek asked through the darkness.

"Of course I am. I'm a Rikkison." Pierce replied back. There was absolutely no light in the hangar bay. Countless soldiers were strapped to their seats and readying for the battle soon to come. But the three LE members were standing close to the hangar doors, and would be the ones to lead the charge out. Kain, Marek, and Pierce stood a few feet apart from each other. Marek sighed.

"When you know the truth, you may not be as proud of that….." he said quietly. Pierce opened his mouth to ask what he meant when Mickey's voice echoed over the intercom.

"One minute to landing! All ground soldiers and landing parties, be prepared!" he said in his somewhat squeaky voice. With that, they all sighed and readied themselves.

MEANWHILE, GRAVEYARD PLATEAU….

Lorans sighed as he slowly walked across the rocky top of the massive pillar. He reached down and picked up Jack's dusty Keyblade, staring at it for a long moment and twirling it. Sora was standing several feet away, watching him. "I've helped you these last two months. Now promise me that you will reverse what happened here. You told me that you would go back and change what happened here. How I could kill my closest friends for any reason is beyond me, and I won't kill anybody else." he told his future self firmly. Lorans smiled sadly as he stuck Jack's Keyblade in the ground and turned to look at him.

"You seek what you do not understand. Very well, hearken to me. You shall know all, you shall understand our cause, and you shall do what must be done. Once I am finished showing you what you need to see, I will need you to lead our armies against the LE and buy me enough time to get the portal open for us." he told him calmly, walking back to his past self with one hand raised.

OTHER SIDE OF THE PLAIN…..

**(United We Stand-Divided We Fall, Two Steps from Hell)**

"Prepare for battle!" Marek yelled as lights flickered on in the hangar. The three LE members readied their blades and lance, and the soldiers behind them readied their own swords and guns.

Scattered across the fleet of landing ships were the leaders and strongest fighters. Cecil, Edge, Tidus, Zack, and Cloud were in one. Robin, his gang, Vincent, and the Camelot knights in another. Finally, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Rydia, and Cuore were in the biggest ship. "For the fallen!" Pierce yelled.

"For the fallen!" they echoed behind him as their ship landed and the hangar doors slowly opened.

Everyone but Pierce, Marek, and Kain swallowed hard and fearfully looked out at the plain in front of them. Every inch of ground was covered in Immortals. Pierce just angrily looked out at them and twirled his Keyblade. "For the fallen!" he yelled again, charging out. Marek and Kain immediately followed him out, followed by the deafening cries of their allies and their armies.

Pierce was the first to make contact with the enemy. He dashed through the front line, a dozen Immortals freezing for a moment before falling to the ground behind him. He slammed his palm down to the ground, sending a shockwave flying in all directions, knocking the Immortals into the air and sending them flying.

Within another second, Kain dashed through the air, killing all the airborne enemies in one hit apiece. The holy dragoon flipped through the air and landed farther into the horde, landing on one and impaling it with his lance before pulling it back out and twirling around as it began to glow. He stretched his arm out and struck the nearest Immortal, sending it flying back into its fellows so hard that it killed them instantly. He fiercely glared at them as they attempted to surround him again, but he simply leaped into the air to avoid them.

As he was in the air, he spun to avoid colliding with Marek, who soared past him, his hands facing the ground and channeling powerful darkness down onto his enemies while at the same time levitating himself with the energy flow. The white haired Rikkison brought his hands together, sending a massive finishing blast of darkness careening down into the center of the horde. The following explosion left a noticeable gap in their center line, but it was quickly refilled as even more of them massed into the area. Marek sighed as he began to descend to the ground, summoning his Keyblade to his hand. He front flipped through the air and swiftly brought his blade cutting downward as he neared the ground, slicing an Immortal in half and landing where it had been standing. As they all looked to him now and began to walk toward him, he breathed deeply and held his blade straight out, his left hand raised and poised to battle. Within seconds, both his Keyblade and his hand began to glow with darkness, and he smirked as he threw his hand toward the nearest group, instantly blasting them through the air with a powerful dark spell. Before they could even hit the ground again, they disintegrated in mid-air. Marek twirled his Keyblade and looked around for the next ones to charge him.

His smirk slightly faltered as he watched countless Immortals stack on top of each other and form a massive column, facing him. Nevertheless, he frowned and readied to fight it, but he didn't need to do anything as suddenly the column was knocked backwards, hit in the torso by a powerful cannon of some kind. The white haired Keyblader turned and looked back across the plain, seeing Mickey's gummi fleet flying in over the horizon, ready to fight, as well. "Well, alright then." Marek muttered to himself with a slight smile, and turned to push farther into the battle.

Pierce was still pushing his way through the army, but constantly hit standstills where the Immortals were unbelievably thick. But he felt the sky darken and looked up to see their gummi fleet. He smiled wide for a moment, until he heard an echoing voice across the area. "My Immortals, hearken to the skies!" Lorans called out to his forces. Many of the Immortals gazed to the sky and slowly sprouted wings from their backs and took to the air to engage their new threat. Pierce glared at the tiny figure in the distance that was Lorans, but watched as the figure walked away, to be replaced by a smaller but familiar figure: Sora.

A moment later, Sora leaped off the plateau and disappeared into the battle. "Pierce, watch out!" Mickey yelled suddenly, appearing out of nowhere and leaping into the air, cutting down an Immortal that had almost leaped on Pierce.

"Thanks, Mickey!" Pierce yelled over the noise of the battle and quickly swung his blade low, slicing off the legs of an Immortal charging from his front. He saw a flash of light and watched Cecil appear out of nowhere and hold out a hand for Mickey, who leaped onto it and jumped into the air. A moment later, they both vanished into the chaos.

From atop a nearby pillar, Robin rained arrows down on the white horde, killing each Immortal with one hit. He was flanked by several dozen archers on both sides, and they all fired flaming arrows while Archer groaned as he threw a flaming capsule of some kind into the enemies below. A moment later, the capsule exploded with such force that Pierce, who saw from a distance, knew it had to be Byzantine fire.

From where Kain was fighting, he could see the Camelot knights form a movable tank of some kind with their shields and slowly but surely advance through the Immortals. He smirked as he saw Vincent dash through the air as an ethereal red cloud and pounce down on enemies in the distance, and watched Edge and Golbez appear close by him for a few moments. Edge held out his twin swords and swiftly sliced a group of enemies to ribbons before back flipping over to where Golbez was casting giant boulders to fall down and crush several large groups of Immortals. They both quickly glanced at Kain, Edge having a wide grin and Golbez a usual expressionless look, before Edge grabbed onto Golbez's shoulder and they both instantly disappeared.

As he busied himself with another advancing Immortal, Kain felt a presence behind him. He swiftly cut through the torso of the enemy in front of him and twirled his lance around his block, blocking a strike from his new opponent. He whirled around and looked into the snarling face of Xion. He glared as he pushed against her Keyblade and knocked her back, but quickly dropped to the ground as he felt wind rushing to meet the side of his head. He rolled away and back flipped onto his feet, holding his lance out at the two enemies. Xion snarled as Sora stepped up to him with a sad expression. "Kain, forgive me." he said quietly, almost indiscernible over the noise of the battle.

Pierce leaped through a group of enemies covered in a ring of fire and landed next to Marek, who was still glowing with darkness and not even out of breath. "How are you holding up, old man?!" Pierce yelled over his shoulder as he blasted three enemies backwards with a thunder spell. Marek smirked as he threw his Keyblade, which ricocheted across a dozen enemies and flew back to his hand. He punched an enemy back with his dark glowing fist and sighed.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, little one!" he retorted, looking up at the plateau. "Lorans will be up there! He's sent Sora to buy him time to get the portal open. If he and Sora escape to the future, then there's no hope of stopping him and all of this is for nothing!" he yelled. Pierce nodded.

"What about Kain?!" he asked. Marek shook his head.

"There's no time! He'll catch up when he gets a chance! Otherwise, let him stay and fight with his friends! This is our battle, Pierce. Lorans angered the Rikkisons, and now he will pay the price!" he replied as he threw his hand wide and froze a group of Immortals solid with a dark blizzard spell. Pierce nodded and ran forward, throwing his Keyblade out in front of him. It changed into its rider form, and its rider leaped onto its back and shot forward several feet, taking out a number of Immortals before rising into the air and heading to the top of the plateau. Marek threw his Keyblade straight up into the air and spun in a quick circle, aiming both of his hands straight out. Lasers of darkness shot forth out of his palms and cut right through all enemies within twenty yards of him. Right after that, he leaped up onto his rider and followed after his nephew. **(end United We Stand)**

**(Vergil Battle 3, Devil May Cry 3)**

"What happened to you, Sora?!" Kain yelled as he back stepped Xion's attack and blocked Sora's. The brown haired hero just sighed sadly.

"Lorans showed me the future that is imminent, Kain! We cannot let it come to pass. No matter the cost now, Light must be stopped." he replied simply, running up and aiming a kick at the dragoon's face. Kain spun around and smacked Sora in the back with the side of his lance, knocking him to the ground. Not even a second later, he ducked down to avoid Xion's attack from behind and came up, his lance already sliding behind him and aiming for her head. The puppet had seen it coming and leaped into the air, above both of their heads.

"Lorans tells nothing but lies, Sora! How can Jack have told him what to do in the past if he killed Jack already two years ago?! His whole speech is misconstrued!" Kain argued as he leaped up after her and swung his lance hard. She managed to hold up her blade and block, but was knocked to the ground by the force of the strike.

"Only with Pierce's death will the future be reset, Kain! Light is what binds us to the future, nothing else! I don't blame you, though! It's not your fault that you are fighting to save a future you have never seen, but I have! Lorans showed me everything, and that is why I am fighting for this side! I have not betrayed you. I never betrayed any of you! I am only fighting to save the worlds, which is what my future self has tried to do!" Sora explained as he raised his hand and sent a bolt of lightning straight at Kain, who spun to the side, going onto a knee and throwing his lance forward, stabbing Sora in the leg with it and making him stumble backward.

"Then we are both doing what we must! What about all the murders committed by your future self!? All the deaths in Gaia, Spira, Radiant Garden?! How do you justify them?!" he yelled angrily, leaping up and slamming his lance down on top of Sora's Keyblade, who just held it there and blocked.

"If my future self committed them, then what choice do I have but to say they were necessary? I truly am sorry, Kain. Not just for what has already happened, but what is about to." he said sadly. Kain narrowed his eyes questioningly, but suddenly gasped as he tired to turn, remembering his second opponent.

He was too late, however, as Xion's Keyblade slashed across his chest, cutting through his armor and slicing open his chest. In the same instant, he threw his lance as hard as he could at her as she tried to leap away. The lance flew straight for the spot where Kain knew she would land, and sure enough, it connected to her right as her feet hit the ground. She soared backward off her feet and landed on her back, motionless.

Kain breathed slowly as he felt his wound. Judging by the blood flow and the difficulty breathing, she had hit his vital organs, maybe even his heart. He gasped as he began to cough up blood. He leaned forward and spewed it onto the rocky ground. He then looked up at Sora, who silently stared at him with a sad and pitying expression. "Finish it then." Kain told him menacingly. Sora sighed, lowering his Keyblade.

"This didn't have to happen, Kain." he said sadly as the dragoon raised his fists. But in the next instant, three Immortals latched onto his back, trying to strangle him. He gasped for air, and finally managed to throw them off. They soared through the air toward Sora, who swung his blade once and cut them all in half, the remains flying past him on both sides and landing on the ground. Kain let out a yell and took two steps toward the Keyblader, but instantly felt countless Immortals hit him from all sides. He gasped from the instant pain, and groaned as he felt himself falling to the ground.

For the next several moments, he saw nothing but blackness as the horde attacked him repeatedly. The pain was more than he had ever experienced before, and it was becoming harder and harder for him to breathe. Finally, they began to move off of him and step away. Kain lay there, unable to move. His armor was cracked and broken in many parts, and blood poured out of countless wounds. He stared at the darkening sky for several seconds until Sora came into view, his Keyblade raised and silent tears coming down his face. "Again. Kain, forgive me." he whispered, closing his own eyes and bringing his Keyblade swinging down. That was the last image that Kain saw. **(end Vergil Battle)**

As Pierce and Marek landed on top of the plateau and returned their Keyblades to blade form, they both felt it: their comrade's pain. And then several moments later, the lack of the pain. "Kain….." Pierce whispered sadly, knowing what it meant. Marek swallowed hard and glared at the man standing on the other side of the plateau, his back to them and his hands toward the sky, Soriah standing right next to him hugging his leg.

"LORANS!" both Rikkisons roared, getting ready for battle.

**Well, I hope it was a good battle, all things considered. Not really a lot happened other than Kain, but I hope you were able to enjoy it, at least! I'll start working on the next one right away, so stay tuned! You are all gonna love the next chapter!**


	65. Ch 65: A Wanderer's Path

**Well, I've been waiting on this chapter for so long! But before we get to that, shout outs!**

**Lucenthia: Yeah, well I knew he wasn't a character that expressed a lot of emotions. He was the group's badass until Marek came in, then he took kind of a back row seat. But he's still one of Pierce's most loyal companions and he was extremely loyal to the promise he made Jack. Thanks!**

**I_Joker: Sorry if I misspelled your name. But yeah that definitely helped lighten it. And no, not a sequel per say, but this won't be the end of this series, I promise!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Whatever Lorans showed him must have been THAT bad to convince him that they need to do what they're doing. Either that, or he's done something to Sora. Well, we'll definitely have to see!**

**13TheAce: Oh yeah, and the battle rages on! I'm sure the fight with Lorans will definitely be interesting ;)**

**Legionary Prime: Yep, the final battle is soon coming, I promise!**

**Izumi Natsuno: Yep, there is that. One more couple reunited in the afterlife...I'm starting to cry! Haha!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, thanks! You didn't realize what a badass Kain was before?! Have you SEEN any of Dissidia 012 with him in it? He was one of the key things that made it so much better than the first game!**

**Celeron96: Yep, very much so. Thanks, and well good to know now! Haha!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Thanks, and trust me, man, I know what I'm doing with him! ;)**

**Alright, so you who I own, and whatever else belongs to Disney and Square. Enjoy this, probably one of my personal favorite chapters!**

Chapter 65: A Wanderer's Path

"Welcome, my dear friends." Lorans said calmly and quietly. He did not turn around and face them. Instead, he kept his back to them and his arms raised toward the sky. Marek snorted.

"Friends? You can kiss my lily white..." he began, but Pierce quickly cut him off.

"It's over, Lorans! It's only a matter of time before our army overcomes yours! Only you and Sora will be left, and all of us combined are more than a match for both of you." he spoke up with determination ringing in his voice. Lorans chuckled quietly for a few moments, before slowly turning to them. **(Lorans' Theme{False King, Two Steps from Hell}**

The darkening sky around them cast a reflection off of Lorans' aged and scarred face, making him appear almost ghostly. "How wrong you are, Pierce! For this is not the end! No, this is merely a new beginning! You see, I have no intention of engaging you in battle today, little Rikkison! My task is done! With my past self at my side, I shall return to my own future and find what awaits me there! This is farewell for now, last of the Rikkisons!" he told them happily, gesturing his arms widely. Instead of replying, nephew and uncle just got into battle stances and prepared to charge.

"You tell us now, old man. What was the point of murdering all of those you killed?! Even your closest friends like Riku and Roxas, and even your own wife?! WHY?!" Pierce demanded furiously. Lorans sighed, crossing his arms and staring at the ground with a seemingly genuine sadness-filled expression.

"It was harder than you could ever believe or understand. But I alone know the future that awaits you all, and the savage wars that led the worlds to that point. They were all forged because of LIGHT himself! Light is a divine being, existing only to combat the darkness and punish injustice! And so by becoming Corruption itself through taking the lives of the innocent, I have become something that I myself loathed above almost all else, but more importantly, I will draw Light out into the open, where he can be killed once and for all. For you see, the three divine beings can only be killed by other divine beings. Darkness can only be killed by Light or Corruption, and the same for the other two. So by drawing Corruption itself to me and manifesting it, I can draw Light out and wage my own holy war against him! I can kill Light once and for all, and that is my mission! There is only one more sacrifice to be made here..." he went on and on, trailing off mysteriously.

"Even so, you yourself must realize that we can't let you do any more harm. It ends here, Lauren." Marek told him calmly. Lorans stared at him for a long moment.

"Seriously, Marek? You're the former lord of darkness and everything that that entitles, and yet the best you can come up with to make fun of Lorans is Lauren?" he asked him in a very Sora-like tone of voice. Marek shrugged his shoulders.

"You'll get over it. Now, without further ado. Pierce, do you mind if I do the honors?" he said, glancing at Pierce. But as the teen opened his mouth to say no, Marek smirked and looked at Lorans. "Eh, I don't care, anyway. He's mine!" he yelled, charging forward at a dead sprint. **(end Lorans' Theme)**

**(Marek's Theme 1{Archangel, Two Steps From Hell})**

"Marek, wait!" Pierce yelled, but the white haired Keyblade master was determined to be the one to get the first hit on Lorans, which he did. Marek ran up, immediately jumping up and tucking his legs in. He flew the several yards' distance across the plateau and smacked into Lorans, kneeing him in the chin with unbelievable ferocity. Lorans groaned and stumbled backward, blindly swinging his Keyblade. Marek quickly jumped onto Lorans' shoulders and back flipped over the swinging Keyblade and planted his feet on the ground again. By this time, Pierce had joined the fight. He angrily jumped a few feet into the air, placing both hands on the hilt of his Keyblade and swinging it down toward Lorans with all his might.

Lorans swiftly held up his blade and blocked, immediately pushing against Pierce right afterwards. The young Rikkison fell back through the air slightly and back flipped to the ground, quickly running back at him. Lorans held up his Keyblade and smirked maliciously, but Marek leaped onto his back in that moment. He began to glow with darkness all around his body, and wrapped his arms around Lorans' neck as tight as he could. The older Sora quickly gasped and started to scream from the pain. The darkness literally touching him, another divine being, brought pain more than any of them could have imagined. Lorans looked toward the sky and screamed pathetically, reaching toward the clouds desperately. He finally glanced back at Marek, who was still holding onto him, and reached back, grabbing him by the hair.

He threw Marek over his shoulder by the other man's hair, and the older Rikkison flew through the air toward the edge of the plateau. Instead of reaching down to try and catch himself, he simply fell backwards into a dark portal, one of the perks of being Marek. Lorans ran up to Pierce and swung his massive Keyblade toward his midsection. Pierce leaned into the attack, pushing his stomach backwards to dodge the attack and quickly flipped, placing his feet on the tip of Lorans' Keyblade and pushing it into the ground. As Lorans angrily tried to take it back out, Pierce ran up the blade and swung his Keyblade vertically, making contact with the older man's face.

He heard Lorans scream in pain and smirked as he landed behind him and began punching him over and over. After a dozen punches that seemed to do nothing, Lorans turned around and brought his blade crashing down with one hand, the other covering half of his face. Pierce rolled to the side and got in a crouch with a smirk as Lorans stared death at him and lowered the hand covering his face. Where his left eye used to be, there was a great gash all the way up that part of his face, and it was still oozing blood. "You've taken my eye, but I will take all that is dear to you!" he yelled, crouching and then leaping high into the sky as he began to glow. Pierce glared and leaped up after him.

"You already did!" he yelled fiercely, catching up to him in the air. Lorans smirked as he swung hard toward Pierce, who held up his own blade and blocked it as they began to descend back to the ground.

"You've no idea how much you still have to lose, little Rikkison!" he replied. Pierce shook his head.

"I will kill you! I WILL kill you!" he screamed as he began to glow with light….

"Pierce, no!" Marek yelled, appearing behind Lorans out of nowhere and glowing with darkness. But Lorans only smirked as they touched the ground again, the both of them holding their Keyblades angrily pointed at him.

"And so the trio is complete! You have no idea how long ago that this was foretold, Pierce! This is the day that Corruption lives on, unhindered by Light or Darkness!" he told them maniacally.

"You've gone insane, Sora." Marek muttered calmly. Lorans smiled even wider and dashed through the air toward Pierce. Pierce brought his Keyblade up and they locked their Keyblades together, the metal blades grinding like gears.

"Yes, Pierce! Unleash Light, that I may kill him once and for all!" Lorans roared.

"I don't think so!" Pierce yelled back as he broke the lock, instantly diving between Lorans' feet as the larger man's Keyblade slammed into the ground, leaving a sizable crater. As he turned around to find Pierce, he only saw Marek's boot inches from his face. Marek smirked as he kicked Lorans off his feet and twirled his Keyblade. Lorans groaned as he got back to his feet and held his blade out once more at the two Rikkisons.

"You're clearly outmatched, Lorans!" Pierce yelled, ready to charge again. Lorans only smirked.

"Really? Have you already forgotten your true plans for coming here?" he asked them. Pierce slightly hesitated at his words, which is exactly what Lorans wanted. A moment later, Marek whirled around and blocked an attack meant for Pierce and glared at Sora, who had just arrived.

"Get behind me, Pierce!" Marek yelled, holding his Keyblade pointed at Sora. Pierce quickly got back to him, and the two Rikkisons were trapped between the two Soras.

"Lorans, the rest of the plan has been put into place." Sora told him, but there was no happiness in his voice. Lorans smirked.

"Good. Then let Phase 2 begin." he told his younger self. Sora nodded sadly and raised his Keyblade up into the sky, sending a broad laser of light shooting up into the clouds, a signal that would be seen by Immortals across the worlds.

"What's going on?!" Pierce demanded. Lorans smirked as Marek sighed.

"He's going to attack the worlds while we're all here in one place." he said simply. Lorans nodded slightly.

"Did you really think that _that_ was my entire army?!" he exclaimed, gesturing toward the endless mass down beneath them.

"You really are insane!" Pierce yelled, readying to charge again. Lorans smiled and shook his head.

"I wouldn't be worried me and myself if I were you. In a few moments, you'll have that entire horde at your backs." he told them simply.

"What are you…..?!" Pierce began, but could instantly hear desperate orders through the earpiece in his left ear.

"_Pierce, we have to turn back. They're attacking the worlds while they're defenseless! I'm sorry, but we don't have a choice!" _Mickey's voice came through. He swallowed and looked around. Sure enough, countless gummi ships were in the sky, already flying away from them.

"They're leaving us!" he exclaimed to Marek, who just nodded.

"Of course they are. They have to save their worlds. It's our fight now, but we can't take on the horde and both of these morons." he replied. Lorans smirked at hearing his words and dismissed his Keyblade, to both of their shock. **(end Archangel) **

"Then it is time for me and myself to depart. Farewell, Rikkisons. We shall meet again." he told them seriously and turned back to the sky.

"Lorans, is it almost ready?" Sora asked, not lowering his blade, but hearing the sound of the untold thousands of Immortals scaling the walls up to them. Lorans nodded, his back to them.

"The portal only needs one more sacrifice to open…." he replied, reaching down and putting a hand on Soriah's shoulder. Sora's eyes widened to their max and he nearly dropped his Keyblade.

"Lorans! No, you can't!" he exclaimed. Lorans sighed.

"You will thank me for this one day…." he muttered. Sora shook his head furiously and charged.

"I WON"T LET YOU DO THIS!" he screamed, leaping into the air and raising his Keyblade over his head. Lorans simply turned and blocked the attack, punching Sora in the stomach and knocking him to the ground. As the younger Sora went to get back up, Lorans hit him in the head with the hilt of his blade. Sora grunted and fell onto his back, unconscious.

"Sora!" Pierce started forward, but Lorans raised his Keyblade at him.

"I would be turning around if I were you…." he told them. Pierce shook his head.

"Hold on, Soriah!" he yelled. But before even Marek could enter a dark portal, Lorans threw his son up into the sky. A moment later, he held up his hand, glowing with bright light, and flexed it, sending a white orb flying up into the sky that connected with Soriah's tiny and screaming body. A moment later, to Pierce's utter shock and disgust, the toddler disappeared, to be replaced by a broad portal hanging in the sky. It was orange in color, and swirls were all around the inside, looking almost like waves on the ocean.

Lorans turned to them one final time, smirked, picked up Sora and threw him over his shoulder, and waved to them. "See you next time!" he told them, having no signs of sadness in his voice from the atrocity he had just committed.

"No you don't, Lorans!" Pierce yelled fiercely, starting forward, but Lorans turned and leaped into the time portal. Before the two Rikkisons could get to it, it closed on them.

"Dammit!" Pierce yelled furiously. Marek sighed and turned around.

"Pierce, we should get out here." he said calmly. Pierce turned around, only to find the entire platform covered in angry looking Immortals, and even more of them were trying to climb onto the plateau. They were like ants on a carcass, they were so endless.

"Jump!" Marek yelled to him. Pierce turned and ran for the edge of the plateau, leaping off the side and landing on his rider, Marek doing the same.

They immediately soared up to the sky, only to find the winged Immortals blocking every means of escape. They were literally trapped. _"Pierce…" _echoed a deep voice that Pierce had never heard before. Marek, however, had.

"Aw, bite me. Now he shows up?" he muttered.

"Who?" Pierce asked him. Marek turned to him and sighed.

"Master Yen Sid. That's who's calling for you. Let's head to the ground and see if we can buy enough time to speak to the old codger, or his ghost or whatever's left of him." he explained. Pierce nodded, and they quickly headed for the nearest area that wasn't covered in white enemies. "Alright, old man, where are you?!" Pierce yelled.

"_Marek, it is not you that I wish to speak to, but the harbinger of Light." _Yen Sid spoke as his blue ghost form appeared. Marek shrugged his shoulders, and glanced around.

"Well whatever you _wish_ to do, your majesty, just do it fast. Those Immortals will be on us in a matter of minutes." he replied. Yen Sid nodded and looked at Pierce.

"_There is yet a way to stop Lorans and what he intends to do in the past, present, and the future. You must follow him through time, but this is trickier than it sounds. Through events that he himself has committed and unleashed, Lorans has bound himself to the fate of all the time periods. So if you were to kill him in the future, then he would have never traveled to the past, and if you were to kill Sora at his birth, then the universe would have been lost almost thirty years ago." _the ghost of Yen Sid explained. Pierce nodded slowly.

"So what must I do then?" he asked. Yen Sid sighed.

"_You must travel to the past and stop him from entering that timeline. Stop him from participating in the First Keyblade War. Then you must travel to the future, and stop him from finishing his plans. Only then, and only by felling our timeline's Sora, will your struggle have been won." _he explained.

"Is there a way to travel through time like he has?" Pierce asked him.

"_There is. I have always known of such a spell, but I feared anyone, even my most trusted allies, using it for their own gain or for personal triumph. I shall teach you this spell now. It will only take a moment, but it is what you need to give chase to our enemy. On behalf of the LE and all others who have fallen in this struggle, it is up to you now, Pierce." _Yen Sid's ghost told him. Pierce nodded.

"You two better hurry!" Marek yelled as he raised his Keyblade, watching the Immortals getting even closer.

"_There, it is done. Now that is all I have to say. Go forth, Pierce, in victory, and in understanding."_ Yen Sid said a moment later as Pierce briefly glowed, and then stopped.

"Marek, buy me time! I have to get this portal open!" Pierce yelled. Marek sighed.

"I'll do what I can!" he yelled, flexing his arm and shooting a broad wave of darkness across the area, crashing into the front line of Immortals and destroying several dozen of them. As Pierce held up his hands and tried to concentrate on nothing but the spell, Marek stabbed his Keyblade into the ground, sending a darkness-infused earthquake rumbling up to the horde as they came ever closer to them. Once it passed the first few lines of enemies, it erupted into an echoing explosion that took out a great many Immortals. But no matter how many he felled, they just kept coming. "Pierce, hurry!" Marek yelled desperately. **(Sanctuary is Lost, Two Steps From Hell)**

Pierce groaned and trembled with the effort, but a moment later sighed and breathed deeply as the massive portal appeared about a dozen feet above him in the air. "Marek, it's done! Let's go!" he yelled, summoning his rider. Marek ran a hand over his Keyblade and it glowed with dark and purple electricity. He then reached back and threw it into the horde, creating a dome of purple lightning that held for several moments and electrocuted all the enemies within. He then slowly turned and stared at Pierce for a long moment.

"I'm not coming with you, Pierce. Someone has to make sure these bastards don't follow you through. Go." he told him calmly, calling his Keyblade back to his hand as the lightning dome disappeared. Now the Immortals were angry, and they charged faster than ever. Marek turned and cut three out of the air and threw his blade into the air. He held out his hands and spun in a circle, cutting down all those nearest him with his dark laser attack.

But as he caught his Keyblade in hand again, one hit him in the back. Within seconds, they started to cover him, but he still barely held his feet. "MAREK!" Pierce screamed, getting off his rider, but his uncle shook his head.

"PIERCE, GO!" he roared. Pierce shook his head and took a step toward him, but Marek, instead of attacking the Immortals on top of him, sent a powerful gust of wind at his nephew, pushing him back to his rider. "JUST GO!" he roared as his eyes began to glow yellow. Pierce swallowed hard, but as his uncle sent another gust of wind his way, he smacked into the side of his rider and flew up into the air, soaring toward the portal not of his own will. Marek smiled slightly as darkness engulfed him, leaving only a black silhouette of himself. "Pierce, good luck. I know you can do it, you little….runt." he whispered as they completely piled on top of him and he could be seen no longer.

But several moments later, he blasted them all off from atop him and prepared to fight to his last breath. And so the former lord of darkness once and for all proved his true colors, and where his true loyalties lay. **(end Sanctuary is Lost)**

**Okay, tell me that wasn't one of THE most badass chapters I've ever written, because this is the one I am the most proud of out of all my chapters before. I hope you enjoyed it, and as always leave a review. We're five away from 500, so come on, you know you wanna leave one!**


	66. Ch 66: Rikkison Truths

**Well now I'm depressed, guys. A week from Monday, I'll be back in school. So I'm working double time to finish this story ASAP! Shout outs: **

**Gohan Roxas: Haha, oh definitely!**

**13TheAce: Well, as you will soon see, he's perfectly sane, but thanks! Oh you like that Yen Sid made a cameo? Thanks!**

**Izumi Natsuno: Ha, you had just started to like Marek? Pierce is the only one still standing out of the entire LE, both old and new. It's all up to him now. A lot of weight to hold on a 17 year-old's shoulders. I will! **

**No. XIII: Nothing Lorans does is without purpose. Keeping Soriah alive for so long was no different. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: He grew up and witnessed something close to a universe wide apocalypse/doomsday thing created by a divine being living within the son of one his closest friends and cousin. Thanks, and well he's gonna try! ;) You never responded to my PM by the way…**

**Celeron96: Thanks, and I said one of the most badass ones…..Well, not exactly. Something like that, haha! Except I'm not promising anything about everyone being resurrected after Lorans is killed. **

**Lucenthia: Yep, I reached it! XD they're really good! He made sure that he was connected to the past to ensure it would be harder for the heroes to kill him. Plus, if you remember what Jason told Jack in the very beginning, "those who survived the war were changed." Notice how Terra(the guy) impaled Lorans during the first slaughter, but he wasn't even injured by it? That's what Pierce is going to go back and stop.**

**Legionary Prime: Thanks! Yep, AC Revelations, haha! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Everything is a choice and has a purpose. I did my best! **

**The Unknowing Herald: We discussed it already, so I'm not gonna copy and paste. But thanks! **

**Right, so now I only own Pierce and Lorans. There may be one or two other minor OCs in this chapter that belong to me, as well, so just bear in mind. I supposed I own Light too so don't let me forget to mention him! Alright, enjoy the chapter, another one of my personal favorites. **

Chapter 66: Rikkison Truths

As Pierce flew through time and space, he felt the boundaries of the portal around him at all times, almost like traveling through a massive bright tunnel. But even through here, he could still hear Yen Sid's voice echo faintly, like a whisper. _"No one can know who you are, Pierce. Time itself is already becoming increasingly unstable, and revealing yourself and your nature may cause more harm than good. You must deal with Lorans quietly while keeping your identity a secret." _he told him. Pierce nodded although he knew it was only a voice.

"What about the history of my family, my lineage? Lorans said that only my father and grandfather did any things for good, out of my entire family. Marek hinted at some things, too." he asked the voice. Yen Sid sighed.

"You will see for yourself soon enough. But remember what I have warned you about, Pierce. Do not expose yourself." he replied. Pierce nodded as he saw a white blinding light rapidly approaching him, or rather, he was approaching it, the end of the tunnel.

WORLD ?, DATE ?...

Pierce slowly looked out as a world materialized before his eyes. He felt his feet touch solid ground, and saw walls and landscapes rise up all around him. He was standing in some kind of alleyway, and already saw countless people walking past in the street straight ahead of him. He quickly remembered Yen Sid's words of advice and reached back, pulling his hood up and completely covering his face. He casually walked out into the street, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, but he quickly realized that he stuck out like a sore thumb. He, in his normal battle attire, walked in and out of crowds consisting of countless people wearing simply made clothes, looking like they were made of cotton and other such materials.

But up ahead of him, as the street cleared out onto a broad dirt road with simple straw roofed houses on both sides, he could see two young men in plain view wearing stylish armor, one light colored and the other dark colored. The young man in the dark colored armor angrily flexed his hand and summoned a Keyblade, much to Pierce's shock. The other boy just shook his head and summoned his own. Obviously, Keyblades were commonplace items in this time, because people merely crossed the road to avoid them and kept going about their business. "You've insulted me for the last time, Blaze!" the first boy yelled, raising his Keyblade. The boy in light colored armor who Pierce now knew to be named Blaze, sighed.

"Shut up, Lateel! You know who my family is. You don't want to mess with us." he growled warningly. The boy called Lateel just yelled angrily and charged, engaging the brown haired boy known as Blaze in a fierce duel.

After only a few minutes of gruesome fighting, it was apparent to Pierce that whatever family Blaze claimed to come from, he was no rookie with the Keyblade. He knew how to fight and how to win. But what shocked Pierce the most was when he knocked Lateel to the ground and disarmed him. As Lateel held up his hands in angry surrender, Blaze twirled his blade and held it facing down, preparing to impale his beaten opponent in cold murder.

What he didn't expect was for an unfamiliar Keyblade to get in the way at the last second and stop his felling stroke. He slowly looked over to see a teen holding the Keyblade blocking his own. He was wearing a hood that covered his face, connected to an unzipped black vest and a gray shirt that reached his elbows. "Who are you?!" he demanded angrily, trying to push down on Pierce's Keyblade and move it.

Pierce, instead of answering him, looked at Lateel. "You should go, while you can." he told him simply. Lateel quickly nodded, crawling out from underneath the two locked blades and getting to his feet before running down the road and disappearing around a bend.

"I don't know you are, but you've made a big mistake interfering here. You wait until my father hears about this….." Blaze muttered as Pierce dismissed his Keyblade and stared at the other teen. It wasn't until he got a good look at his face that he stopped in shock. Blaze had the brown hair that most Rikkison males seemed to have, but his eyes…..they were bright hazel, just like Rayne's, and Jack's.

"Are you a Rikkison?" Pierce cut him off. Blaze rolled his eyes.

"Of course I am! You will pay for interfering with my victory, whoever you are! We're the most powerful family of wielders outside of Grand Crossing!" he yelled angrily. Pierce stared at him in disgust, Blaze not noticing since his face was still hidden by his hood.

"Yeah, whatever….." he replied, turning to walk away. Blaze narrowed his eyes furiously.

"I am Blaze Rikkison, son of Naithyk Rikkison, and yet you will defy me?!" he roared.

"Yep." Pierce replied simply as he walked down the road. Blaze breathed deeply and angrily for a few seconds before charging after him. He raised a fist and furiously swung at the back of  
Pierce's head. But before Blaze knew what was happening, Pierce whirled around, knocking the punch aside with the back of his hand and striking the other teen in the chin with an upward punch. Blaze flew up a good several feet and crashed down onto the dirt road on his back. Pierce stared at him for several moments silently until the arrogant Rikkison began to stir. Knowing he was still alive, Pierce turned to walk away.

"Hey, you!" yelled a new voice. Pierce sighed and slowly turned back around, this time being face to face with a group of guards. While two of them walked over and helped Blaze to his feet, the other four held up their weapons, simple swords and lances, at Pierce. "Who are you, and why have you just assaulted our master's son?" the seemingly leader of the group of guards asked, staring suspiciously at Pierce's hood.

"I'm new in town. The boy attacked me first, I was just defending myself. He started the fight." Pierce told him simply. The guard shook his head.

"It does not work that way here. An attack on a Rikkison is punishable by law. You will come with us back to sir Naithyk's mansion. Pierce sighed but smirked underneath his hood.

"_Funny, so they would have to punish Moron over there, too." _he thought to himself, but complied with the guards and let them surround him and lead him up the road, Blaze walking behind them clutching his bleeding nose.

GRAND CROSSING OUTSKIRTS, RIKKISON MANOR…..

Pierce barely got a glance at the interior of the manor as the guards swiftly led him through. They passed long flowing corridors and vast open rooms. From what little he saw, Pierce could tell that his ancestors were extremely wealthy. But he wasn't impressed with what he saw from Blaze. He could only hope that Naithyk was more like his family than Blaze was.

Finally, they walked into a long flowing chamber. Sitting on some sort of throne about twenty feet away from them on the other side of the room was a man clearly in his fifties. He had graying hair, a short but well kept goatee, and a thin crown lay atop his head. "And who is this?" the man asked in irritation.

"My lord, he…." the guard began, but Blaze cut him off.

"He attacked me, father. He interrupted my execution of that coward Lateel and then proceeded to act like my better." he told his father, glancing at Pierce hatefully. The middle aged man who Pierce figured to be Naithyk looked at Pierce's hooded face and narrowed his eyes.

"Is this true?" he asked. Pierce shook his head.

"No, sir, it is not. He had beaten the young man in combat, and Lateel had surrendered, but your son was going to kill him, anyway. I stepped in to preserve justice. Then he took a swing at me and I defended myself." he explained. Naithyk stared at him evenly and was silent for several moments.

"Father….." Blaze began, but the old man held up a hand to silence him.

"An assault on a Rikkison by a commoner is unacceptable. You will face severe punishment, and only time will ascertain as to what. Now take him to the dungeons. I must prepare my troops to leave.

"What's going on, Father?" Blaze asked him anxiously. Naithyk turned and placed his hands on his son's shoulders as the guards put chains around Pierce's wrists and led him to the door.

"I fear it is Thorne, son. The old fool is massing his wielders and preparing to march on us. We've been at this for months already. He wants the X-blade for himself." he told his son. Blaze looked at him curiously.

"But why does he want the X-blade?" he asked. Naithyk sighed.

"Because they seek the light of Kingdom Hearts." he replied grimly. Blaze searched his father's face for a long moment.

"Well, where is the X-blade, Father?" he asked. Naithyk smiled at him and flexed his hand. A moment later, the long bladed, double Kingdom Key-crossed hilted X-blade was in his hand.

"It was entrusted to our family to protect Kingdom Hearts. But it has given us more power than you can ever imagine, Blaze. I once was satisfied with all this….." he explained, looking around the room. "But now…if we are going to fight for the light of Kingdom Hearts that feeds us all, then we will fight against Thorne and take it for ourselves." Naithyk told him, smiling broadly and his eyes alight maliciously. Blaze smirked at him and nodded.

"I am with you, Father. When do we depart?" he asked. Naithyk smiled at him as he turned away.

"Ready the men. Thorne is already on the move, and he will arrive at the Greenfields in less than two days. We will intercept him there." he told his son. Blaze nodded and walked out of the room.

"Sir!" Pierce's voice echoed from the hallway. Naithyk raised his eyebrows as he heard his newest prisoner's voice. A moment later, the still hooded Pierce came running in, arms in shackles and guards giving chase to him. "I'm an exceptional fighter, and you're gonna need all you can get for this fight. Let me travel with you and fight." he offered. Naithyk stared at him and slowly walked up to him.

"Nobody tells me what to do, _boy_." he muttered dangerously, throwing Pierce's hood back and revealing his face. It was fortunate indeed that Pierce had changed his appearance so much in the past two years. Between his black hair and his scar, he would hardly be recognized as a Rikkison. "I do not need arrogant commoners fighting for me. This will be a war to remember for millennia, boy. It's not for the likes of lowlifes like you." he spat scornfully. Pierce sighed, finally knowing somewhat what Lorans had meant about his family.

"Well, you just doomed yourself, old man." Pierce replied back. Naithyk reached back and slapped him across the face.

"Get him out of here." he growled to the guards. They nodded and quickly got hold of Pierce again, this time making sure he wasn't going to break free and led him out of the room, heading toward the dungeons.

A FEW MINUTES LATER…..

Pierce sighed and came to a stop as they neared the dungeon entrance. "Keep moving." the lead guard told him. Pierce calmly shook his head.

"Let me go, and you won't get hurt." he offered them. They sniggered and prodded him in the back, making him step forward. In the next instant, Pierce leaped up, kicking both of his feet out behind him and hitting one in the face, knocking him onto his back. He spun in the air and came back to the ground while striking him across the face with his shackles. Before another could draw his sword, Pierce turned and kicked up right between the man's legs. While he squealed, Pierce punched him right in the face and sent him flying into a wall. The last guard standing, the one in charge, slowly backed away. Pierce smirked at him as he held out his wrists. The guard swallowed and held out a key, unlocking the shackles with trembling fingers. Pierce nodded to him and reached up, pulling his hood back up. "Not all Rikkisons are pompous bastards like those two. You'd best remember that." he told the guard, who just stared at him.

Pierce smirked as he called his Keyblade to his hand and casually walked past him, heading back up to the castle entrance. By the time he got outside, Naithyk's soldiers were already lined up and walking out of the gates. He quickly and silently ran up and eased into one of the back rows, falling into step between two very surprised wielders on either side of him. "Long live the Rikkisons." he told them, hoping it would ease their suspicions.

"Indeed." they echoed, both staring at him for several seconds but relief flooding their faces.

"Forward unto battle, men! Let General Thorne fall this day and the blessed light of Kingdom Hearts be ours! We have its guardian on our side, the X-blade! None shall stand against us!" Blaze yelled to them from the front line. The soldiers echoed his words energetically while Pierce just sighed.

"_None but Lorans, that is. If I have to save those idiots' sorry behind….."_ he thought to himself as they marched out of the Grand Crossing area. It wasn't until looking back and seeing a familiar two way road with a fork in the middle that Pierce realized what this place really was.

This was the world that became the Crossroads.

_Next Time on NPNW…:_

"_Dammit, where is Lorans?!" Pierce yelled as dodged and weaved his way through the battle. _

"_YOU!" Blaze roared, appearing out of nowhere and raising the Keyblade. _

"_Get out of my way, you idiot! I'm not here for you!" Pierce grunted as he dodged the reckless swing. Blaze grunted. _

"_I know. You're here for Lorans. Well you'll have to go through me to get him. You're on a battlefield right now, rookie. You're stuck between two different sides and they both want you dead. Me, you made it personal. What are you gonna do now that you're all alone?" he taunted. Pierce grit his teeth, but that was when a portal opened up and a familiar voice rang out. _

"_This was the last thing I expected to find. Can't believe it took this long to figure it out!" yelled a man that Pierce knew as he hit the ground holding his Keyblade ready. _

"_Impossible!" Pierce spluttered in disbelief as Blaze realized he was trapped between two strong looking fighters. _

TO BE CONTINUED…..

**I'm gonna start working on the next chapter right away, but it most likely won't get out till tomorrow. If it gets out earlier, it'll be tonight so make sure you look for it. Alright, well I hope you are enjoying our little foray into the past and I hope you're excited to see my version of the first Keyblade War!**


	67. Ch 67: The Puzzle's Final Piece

**Alright, well it's the same day, so no new announcements. I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter(if not then you're lying to me, haha!) I know Twilight's on vacation or something, but everyone else is still here, right? Wouldn't want you to miss the last couple chapters! Well shout outs!**

**Lucenthia: Haha, I love doing it! It makes sure you keep coming back for more! Thanks!**

**The Unknowing Herald: Well I trust you liked that chapter better? **

**Shadowdragon1317: Haha, from Jason. Don't ask me where he got it from. That you will!**

**No. XIII: Ha, I know right! Don't worry, I fully intend on unveiling my next project. If you've read all my stories then you know what my signature thing to do for the last chapter is ;)**

**Celeron96: Thanks, and oh yes, definitely! You'll see how I do it. And wow, I'm sorry man! **

**Izumi Natsuno: I completely agree! He grew up and lived through everything. Sorry, and no there weren't any, trust me! **

**Alright, you know what I own, I hope, plus Blaze and Naithyk. Alright, enjoy!**

Chapter 67: The Puzzle's Final Piece

GREENFIELDS, NAITHYK'S ENCAMPMENT…..

"Every fighter must be ready before dawn! We will take Thorne by surprise and secure the light of Kingdom Hearts for ourselves!" Naithyk announced as he walked through the camp, heading toward his tent. His soldiers cheered for him and backed up his words, and no one noticed little old hooded Pierce sneaking through the shadows and following his ancestor. But instead of trying to follow the old man into the tent, he sneaked around to the back and crouched down on the grass. He drew a small knife that he had slipped out of one soldier's pocket and swiftly but quietly cut a hole in the canvas, allowing the sound of voices to carry out toward him. "….but I just can't see why you let that brat live!" Blaze said angrily. Naithyk sighed from his chair and glanced at his furious son.

"He will die when we return home, son. I will even let you do the execution yourself. Happy?" he asked. Blaze rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"I am your most trusted and most loyal soldier. I am your proudest warrior, yet you still treat me like a child!" he yelled pathetically. Naithyk smiled slightly.

"Well, if you would act like an adult, then I would treat you like one." he replied simply. Blaze glared death at his father and angrily stormed out of the tent, leaving Naithyk seemingly alone. As Pierce sighed and went to leave, he heard more voices.

"_So, this is the mighty Naithyk Rikkison." _said an ethereal voice. In a flash, Naithyk was on his feet, his chair kicked out behind him and the X-blade in his hand.

"Show yourself, and bow before your master!" he angrily told the voice, only receiving a quiet chuckle in return.

"_Oh, how the mighty shall soon fall. Very well, I shall show my presence, but neither will I bow nor grovel at thy feet." _the voice replied with a slight sardonic tone. A moment later, a thin and hunched over figure appeared in a large puff of black smoke. As it cleared, Naithyk and Pierce(who was looking through the crack in the canvas) could see what seemed to be a male figure covered in an ethereal cloak that seemed to be itself made of black clouds.

"Who are you?!" Naithyk demanded. The figure took a deep breath and straightened up, turning its hooded face to the Rikkison.

"_I am the spokesman for the kingdom beyond the realm of mortals. You know the place I speak of as Kingdom Hearts. You, and your family, have been chosen to safeguard the counterpart to our great society that spawned yours, which is the X-blade that you yourself carry. When you accepted this sacred duty, you had no idea what it would entail." _the figure began. Naithyk shook his head.

"I'm not listening to any more of this until you tell me your name." he said firmly, clearly not trusting the hooded man. The figure nodded politely.

"_My true name is beyond comprehension to your kind, but the closest to human recognition would be…Dawnomar." _he said, bowing in greeting. He then stood back up and continued what he was saying. _"In the event that the X-blade were lost, certain steps must be made to ensure that none seek the light of Kingdom Hearts in its absence. Thus, even though your family may not forever wield the X-blade, there will always be a guardian to fight against injustice and protect our sacred city from those who would seek it for personal gain. We have called forth a being older than both of our civilizations for this one purpose. He shall dwell among your descendants all the days of their lives, and shall appear when he is needed the most. He may not be wanted, but when he is needed, he shall rise out of his mortal host and exact terrible vengeance on wrongdoers. For this is your punishment, for making a deal with beings beyond your comprehension. By granting yourself power and purpose, you have doomed your kin."_ Dawnomar told him. Naithyk was wide-eyed by these words, and was speechless.

"I don't understand…" he muttered, but Dawnomar turned away from him.

"_I have said all that I was sent to say. This is goodbye….and farewell, Naithyk Rikkison." _he said simply, looking upward and disappearing in another puff of smoke.

Pierce was breathing hard by this point and turned away from the tent, standing up and running back across the camp and finding an empty tent. It was so much to digest, and he couldn't even wrap his mind around why he had been chosen to carry this terrible guardian he knew as Light. And he couldn't believe that everything happened because of the terrible greed and wickedness of one of his ancestors. They _chose_ this burden willingly, to be carried down through limitless generations, not caring what happened so long as they gained wealth and power. That was the kind of people the Rikkisons of old were.

DAWN, GREENFIELDS HIGH PLAIN…..

Pierce was perched on top of a small cliff overlooking the massive gorge down below him, where two unbelievably huge armies had gathered on both sides of the plain, facing each other. On one side stood Blaze and Naithyk with their army, and on the other stood the man known as General Thorne, holding twin Keyblades of equal size and length. He had black hair that went past his shoulders that was matched by his black and tangled beard. He raised his Keyblades into the air, mirrored by every single one of his troops. "Kingdom Hearts and the X-blade are mine!" he yelled menacingly. Naithyk raised it into the air, following by Blaze and their troops.

"Come and claim it, you hog defiler!" Naithyk roared. Thorne roared fiercely and charged forward, followed by his entire army. **(Heart of Courage, Two Steps from Hell)**

Naithyk pointed the X-blade forward, and his army charged. Blaze glanced angrily at his father for a long moment before running forward into battle.

Pierce watched in awe from his cliff as the untold thousands of Keyblade wielders charged toward each other, waiting to create one massive clash of blades. He kept his eyes searching along the battlefield, waiting for Lorans to make his appearance.

It wasn't until the fighting had started that he first noticed the flick of the familiar white cloak. He swallowed hard and leaped off of his cliff, sprinting down the rock face leading toward the battle. As he came within two dozen yards of the ground, he grunted and pushed off, soaring through the air and flying toward Lorans, who was just about to kill his first Keyblader. Pierce yelled and lunged in the way, stopping Lorans' Keyblade with his own. Lorans(the white hood over his face like before) looked at him in utter shock. "You….but how?!" he exclaimed, pulling his blade back and putting it in a ready position while Pierce did the same.

"I'm here to stop you before you even begin!" he replied angrily. Lorans' mouth twitched in fury underneath his hood until he reached up and tore his cloak off, revealing the same face Lorans from Pierce's time had, except without the dark scars and still having both eyes despite Pierce cutting one of them out.

Without another word, Lorans charged, swinging his broad bladed Keyblade in a wide but fluid motion. Pierce back-flipping, putting his palm on the ground to catch himself and got back on his feet right before crouching and dashing forward with his shoulder tucked in. He went right underneath Lorans' Keyblade and hit his ankle with his shoulder at full speed.

The following motion was that Pierce pushed forward and knocked the bigger man's feet out from under him, making him land on his face. "Once I've stopped you here, I WILL go to the future and kill you once and for all! Not to your future, but to mine! You have failed this time around, because at least one Rikkison still stands strong!" he yelled. Lorans grunted as he stood up and stabbed his Keyblade into the ground, sending a small earthquake flying toward him. Pierce simply sidestepped it and continued glaring at him. Lorans chuckled quietly as he got to his feet.

"You're stronger than I ever thought possible. Even your father….." he began, but Pierce leaped forward and kicked him across the face, sending him flying around and landing on his stomach.

"Don't you DARE say a word about my father after what you plan to do to him, and what your future self already DID to him!" he screamed furiously, tears appearing in his eyes although Lorans could only see his hood.

"Very well, little Rikkison. But know this, the timeline is already falling to pieces. There is nothing you can do to stop it now except kill my original self, but even if you do that, then another paradox will occur. You are stuck forever in a time loop, with no hope of salvation." he told him tauntingly. Pierce shook his head.

"Doesn't bother me. You know how many friends and family I lost to your future self? More than can be counted. So I'm not gonna stop just because of that problem. I'm just gonna kill every last one of you bastards, time paradox or not." he told him simply, a look of hatred on his face as he pulled his hood back. Lorans looked at the ground and smiled.

"Maybe…..you do have what it takes….after all." he muttered as he began to vanish, seemingly into thin air.

"I have what it takes for what?! SORA!" Pierce called out to him urgently, but in another few seconds, he was gone, off to look for a sacrifice for his time spell.

"What it takes to die!" yelled a voice Pierce did not want to hear right then. **(Heart of Courage) **

"Blaze…." he muttered as he turned around to look at the brown haired Rikkison.

"YOU!" Blaze roared as he held up the X-blade in his hand with an evil grin.

"You…..you killed your father for it!" Pierce immediately knew. Blaze stared at him, eyes glinting maliciously.

"A Rikkison will do whatever he has to for power. A commoner like you would not understand! But that stunt you pulled back in town, you made this personal. You're on a battlefield right now, rookie. You're torn between both sides that would kill you in an instant. What are you gonna do now that you're all alone?" he said, raising his new weapon in a cocky manner, ready to kill Pierce once and for all.

"You have no idea what I would understand." Pierce told him calmly, shaking his head slightly. Suddenly, a bright orange portal appeared high in the sky, and a deep clear voice rang out.

"Ah, dammit, Yen Sid! You're too late, it already started!" it yelled, and Pierce recognized the voice. A moment later, a tall and broad figure leaped out of the portal and landed on the opposite side of Blaze, but not before Pierce covered his face with his hood, remembering Yen Sid's warning. "Alright, kid, so I see you're the one I need to take care of. Let's get going." Jason spoke up with a smirk, looking at Blaze after seeing him holding the X-blade.

He was much younger than Pierce had ever seen him in person. He looked to be in his early thirties, so Pierce guessed his father was only a few years old at the most in his time. "I'm with you! Let's take him out!" he called out to his grandfather. Jason didn't know him, but saw what he intended to do and nodded.

"It's been a while since I've had a decent fight. Let's get going." he said with the same cocky smile that Pierce had seen his father wear when going through his memories. **(Jason's Theme{Strength of a Thousand Men, Two Steps from Hell})**

Jason let out a war cry and charged forward, swinging his silver Keyblade in three swift strikes. A moment later, the three strikes hung in the air and turned into three white discs that soared through the air so fast they were blurs. Blaze held up the X-blade and blocked the first two, but the third ricocheted off the wall behind him and struck him in the back. A moment later, Pierce slid in on his back and struck his own ancestor in the back with a fire ignited blade. Blaze stumbled forward and it was several moments before he realized he was on fire.

"You little….!" he began, quickly putting it out and turning to Pierce, who just pointed behind him. Blaze glanced behind his shoulder and got Jason's fist to his jaw as consequence. The old-ish master leaped up into the air and twirled his Keyblade faster than the eye could see. Countless loose rocks and boulders slowly began to come toward him off of the ground and canyons. When they got close, they rose up into the air around him, but Jason just continued the spell. He closed his eyes and focused his concentration, until the multitude of rocks and boulders were flying all around him like an asteroid belt. When he opened his eyes, he dropped his Keyblade. When it reached his feet, it instantly transformed into some sort of platform that had engines blowing toward the ground, keeping him in the air. He held up his hands and began to descend toward them.

Blaze stood up and looked up for a mere moment before turning and trying to run, only to be tripped by Pierce as he ran past him. He fell onto his stomach, but quickly somersaulted and regained his footing. Jason calmly held up his hands and flexed them. Immediately, rocks and boulders began to pelt after the fleeing Rikkison. Blaze managed to turn around at the last second and cut the first wave in half, but Jason quickly sent a rock the size of a ball flying into the back of his head, and Blaze went flying face first into the canyon wall.

This was all happening while the chaos that would be known as the Keyblade War was occurring. Blaze groaned as he stood back up and aimed the X-blade out, shooting a bright white laser flying straight toward Pierce, who closed his own eyes and focused hard. His Keyblade became encased in powerful light, but it was his own, not borrowed energy from his other passenger. He raised his blade high as the laser neared him, and he brought it down at the last moment, holding his Keyblade straight up in front of him, literally slicing the laser in two and forcing the beams to branch off in two different directions, not even touching his body because of the strength of the light on his blade. So in touch with his own power was Pierce by now that he could rival his father's prowess and magical capabilities.

As Blaze stared in utter shock at Pierce, Jason raised his arms above his head, still hovering in the air, and all of his remaining rocks and boulders rose up into one swirling mass. Blaze stopped his attack on Pierce as he saw the storm of crashing rocks come flying down toward him. He held up the X-blade to try and block it, but he knew it was no good.

At the last second, Pierce appeared in front of him, holding his light encased Keyblade up and creating a powerful barrier between his ancestor and the ferocious attack from his grandfather. "What are you doing?" Jason called out calmly. Pierce shook his head.

"This isn't the way! It isn't your skill in battle, or the ferocity with which you fight that determine if you are a worthy wielder or not! It is by the decisions, and the choices we make, that determine our true valor!" he yelled, smiling at hearing himself say these words. Jason stared at him for several moments, but the rocks fell back onto the ground, lifeless as they were before Jason began casting his spell. **(end Jason's Theme)**

Pierce lowered his Keyblade and let the barrier fade away. He turned and looked at Blaze, who was staring at him with the utmost shock. "My fight isn't with you. Go, fight your war. I already know the ending. If you survive and you wanna keep that thing, I hope you're good at puzzles, because you're gonna have to put a lot of pieces back together." he told him calmly before turning to walk away. And that was the last exchange Pierce had with his ignorant and selfish ancestor.

Instead, he walked up to Jason, who descended to the ground. "Thanks for the help back there. Really saved my behind." Pierce thanked him. Jason smiled slightly and nodded.

"You're not from around here, are you? Even just looking at your clothes, I can tell you stick out." he asked casually. Pierce smiled underneath his hood and nodded.

"Well, I guess you could say that. I'm on a deeper quest than these self absorbed pigskins. If you wanna stick around for the rest of the battle, kudos. I'm done here." he replied, walking away.

"Wait, I don't even know your name, kid!" Jason called out to him. Pierce half turned as he summoned the same portal that Jason was about to.

"We'll meet again, but you won't know it's me until after it's too late….." he answered, stepping through the portal, leaving Jason to try and figure out what that meant.

And so with no more obstacles standing in his way, Pierce headed for the future, his future, not Lorans', for he knew his target was beyond where he could see, waiting for his final opponent, and his final battle. Pierce knew this would be the final battle, if not for both of them, at the very least for one of them. One would stand, and one would die on this final battlefield. _"And after everything everyone sacrificed, it sure as hell is not gonna be me dying on the ground." _he thought to himself as he soared through the swirling tunnel-like inside of the portal.

**And so we are heading to the real final battle! I promise it's the real final battle this time! So I hope you liked the trip to the past. The Lorans fight was supposed to be that short, I did it on purpose. The next two chapters will make up for the shortness, I promise! I hope you're prepared for the final clash between Pierce and Lorans! It will be my biggest battle yet(except for maybe Draconian Light)! Leave a review and stay tuned for the next one tomorrow!**


	68. Ch 68: It Has To Be This Way

**Hey, guys! This story will(hopefully) be done by tomorrow night! Yep, this chapter is out now, Chapter 69 will be out either tonight or tomorrow morning, and Chapter 70 will be out later tomorrow. So I hope you're excited to finally be here at the final battle! But before you get to that, shout outs!**

**Shadowdragon1317: Haha, yes he is! In story last chapter, Jason was only around 35, making Jack only a couple years old at most. So you can imagine Yen Sid's age. **

**No. XIII: Thanks! And I'll just say that Pierce really is on his own. **

**The Unknowing Herald: Oh really? Do tell me what you think! Well maybe we'll see more of the ancient world sometime. **

**Lucenthia: Haha, thanks? I'm glad I can make characters that people hate as well as love. **

**Celeron96: It's complicated, but I sent you a PM explaining it. Thanks!**

**Izumi Natsuno: No problem, and you're welcome!**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Welcome back! Thanks, and that's good because that's exactly how I wanted you to feel about him and his father! **

**13TheAce: Thanks, and yep it is! That's the kind of people Lorans was talking about this whole time. Pierce's ancestors "made a deal with the devil" just to get power and wealth.**

**So I at this point own Pierce and Lorans. Last chapter I owned Blaze, Naithyk, Jason, and Dawnomar! Now enjoy this, the final battle between Pierce and Lorans! I hope I don't disappoint!**

Chapter 68: It Has To Be This Way

AN UNKNOWN POINT IN THE FUTURE…

Lorans calmly sighed as he walked up and down the barren and dying ground of the world that he was in. "I will never become you." Sora told him quietly, but firmly. Lorans only glanced at him, his one eye staring at his past self while the one he had lost to Pierce was now covered with a black eye patch. He deemed it his just reward for allying with the former vessel of Xehanort, anyway.

Instead of replying with some sick or twisted comment, he merely walked over and bent down in front of where Sora was chained at the base of a gnarled, blackened, and dying tree. "Nothing would make me happier." he told him calmly. Sora looked at him in surprise, but Lorans stood up and turned away from him again. "When Pierce arrives, he will understand. That is why we are here, on this world, Sora. And when I kill him and destroy Light, he will understand and accept the deeds which I have been forced to do." he commented quietly, barely loud enough for Sora to hear him. **(Lorans' Theme{False King, Two Steps from Hell})**

"What are you talking about?" he asked. Lorans smiled slightly.

"Do you think it gave me any pleasure to strike them down, Sora? Terra, Ven, Aqua, Roxas, Lea, Riku, even Jack and Kairi? You think I found enjoyment in striking down my wife and my son? Even I, having traveled to the past and learned the origins of Light, the Keyblade, and the Rikkisons, could feel only sadness as I struck down Jack and his family. I could only laugh to try and hide my sorrow. As I stood there, up to my waist in their blood and watching the life leave their eyes one by one, I almost broke. I almost lost sight of the task that I had come to accomplish. In the end, it was only this vision, my memory of this world and this life, that pushed me to go onward. I knew I had to do whatever I could to reset the future, and so I allied myself with the likes of Xehanort and Braig, and all those other petty politicians, and I hunted Pierce and the second LE across the universe. Many would have thought me insane, but never once did I forget what I had witnessed in my own time, and I vowed to protect the worlds, no matter the cost. Better to lose the lives of some, than the lives of all." he explained calmly. Sora listened to his words for several moments, and sighed.

"I'm still not gonna fight for you. You made your choice, and you will never come to exist if I choose not to become you." he replied firmly. Lorans smiled slightly.

"Sora, the very fact that I am still standing here means that you have not altered your course." he told him, still sounding completely calm. But even as Sora opened his mouth to argue, the bright orange portal appeared in the sky, and a moment later, Pierce leaped out and fell down toward the ground, landing in a crouch.

His Keyblade was in hand, tucked in and rising up his back. His head was still close to the ground, but he looked up at Lorans with a serious but angry expression. "Lorans." he growled, rising to his feet and holding his Keyblade ready. Lorans instead smiled and turned to him.

"Welcome, Pierce. You took your sweet _time_, didn't you?" he asked, a twinkle in his eyes, but Pierce ignored the wordplay.

"Enough of your crap, Lorans. Let's end this." he replied. Lorans sighed and shook his head sadly.

"I am not ready for you to die yet, little Rikkison. First things first, take a look around you, and behold your legacy!" he announced loudly, gesturing widely around them.

Pierce narrowed his eyes in confusion, but slowly looked around him, and gasped. His eyes opened wide, and his mouth was slightly open as he gazed around at the ruins of the world they were in. It was almost reduced to nothing, but Pierce could clearly recognize it: they were standing on what used to be a separate island, but no water remained behind him, making it almost connected to what used to be the main island in the distance. Of the town, only a very few houses still stood, and none of them were anything more than scorched brick walls. There was nothing green in sight, everything was dead and decaying.

He slowly turned back and looked at Sora, who was chained to what at one time was the massive tree in the middle of the play island that held the entrance to the world's Keyhole.

They were standing on the remains of Destiny islands.

Pierce shook his head and looked at Lorans, who nodded and confirmed what he had been fearing the most: this was what it looked like in every single world. No life existed anymore. Lorans must have witnessed Jack die right before he went into the past, and now only he remained of his entire time. Sora alone survived the holy war and Light's wrath. "This is why…?" Pierce trailed off. Lorans nodded sadly.

"Indeed. This is what I came to your time to stop. But since I failed to extinguish Light, you see that nothing changed even because of my efforts. The only difference is now I stand here alone. Not even Marek survived. But now you finally know, Pierce. You know why I did what I did." he explained. **(end Lorans' Theme) **

Pierce slowly nodded. "I know why, but it doesn't change what you did. You killed innocent people, knowing that it wouldn't change unless I was the one who died." he replied coldly. Lorans sighed and walked toward what would have been the water's edge, staring out at the horizon.

"You are still a boy, Pierce. I wouldn't expect you to understand." he said quietly. Pierce tightened the grip on his Keyblade.

"Correction: I WAS a boy. Then you took my parents away from me. I grew up a lot quicker than I should have been, but I HAD to. Tell me WHY you had to cause me such pain, Lorans!" he yelled angrily. Lorans nodded.

"I agree, you deserve that much. So think about it this way. Do you imagine that your father, let alone the entire LE, would have allowed a stranger to walk in and kill his son, and when asked for a reason, say 'I'm from the future and he turns into a weapon that destroys the universe'? Of course they wouldn't. I knew that if I were to get to you, I would have to clear a path. But that was not my only reasoning. I already knew when I went through time that a divine being can only be killed by another divine being. I already knew that you harbored Light, as the first male heir of Jack. Normally, Marek, being the first-born, would have inherited Light from Jason, but the fact that he turned to Darkness instead cause Jack to be chosen. And so I knew I could not use Darkness for my plan. It wasn't until I recovered some of Yen Sid's old library that I began to hear about a third being, one called Corruption." he explained to Pierce, this whole time staring at the horizon. Pierce had slightly lowered his Keyblade by now, wanting to hear what his enemy had to say.

"Keep talking." he said simply. Lorans nodded.

"Unlike Light and Darkness, Corruption was…..different. It has no chosen host, as it was never meant to exist. But I learned how to draw it out. Xehanort himself stood in Corruption's presence at one point in time, and transferred it into Jack during the end of the Second Keyblade War, when he was turned into his last vessel. For this brief moment of history, Light and Corruption shared a host. But the three have never been at the same place in time, at least not until our battle in the Graveyard nearly fifteen years ago. But by killing all those innocents, I became a shining beacon for the last divine being, and when I became Corruption, I knew I finally had the tools to save the future at last. But then you went to the past and stopped my participation in the first war, and thus I lost my "immortality" as you would call it. And so here we both stand, on this rotting soil and forgotten ground. We both hunger for the battle that has been waiting for over a thousand years now, Pierce. The final clash between you and I. Darkness is no more, now only Light and Corruption remain, dark harbingers of a past long forgotten, and a future hanging in the balance!" he finished loudly, swinging his arms wide and turning to Pierce again.

The young Rikkison stared at him for a long moment, not really knowing what to say. Finally, he just raised his Keyblade. "Finally, after all this time of waiting, I have my answers. I know why my parents were killed, and I know why I'm the only one still here to challenge you. I guess I understand why you did what you did, old man. And I know you did what you had to do. But that doesn't change anything. You wronged so many people in so many ways, and you're blinded by your hatred of my family. Yes, my ancestors were true bastards, but WE are not them. My father, my grandfather, and I, we always fought for what we believed in, and they fought alongside you time and again! So yes, I understand why you did what you did, and I know that whatever I did to let Light take control cost us everything, but I'm not gonna let you get away with anything. It ends here, Lorans." he told him somewhat angrily, but no longer was he filled with mindless rage.

Instead, he just felt sadness, and pity for Lorans and everything that he had to go through. But he still raised his Keyblade and prepared for the biggest fight of his life, knowing full well that no matter what the outcome of the battle was, this was the end of his journey. Lorans sighed and summoned his own Keyblade to his hand. "Forgive me then, Pierce. It seems it has to be this way, after all." he muttered. Pierce nodded.

"This is for the fallen." he replied calmly as he twirled his Keyblade. Lorans stood about twenty yards away from him, and they pointed their blades at each other, the hard under-ground of what the sand was once on top of shifting slightly underneath their feet. Pierce twirled his blade around, holding it backhand just like his father once did. "This is our final duel, Lorans!" he announced as they both took a deep breath and readied to fight. **(It Has To Be This Way extended, Metal Gear Rising)**

Not even a second after Pierce sprinted to his right, Lorans reached down and slammed his fist against the ground, sending up a great many pillars that blocked the two of them in. Pierce reached the wall and sprinted several feet up it before back-flipping off of it. He flew over Lorans as he faced the ground again, his body straightly suspended. He reached back with both hands and swung hard at the man's head. Lorans looked up and blocked with his armor clad forearm and swung upward with his Keyblade. Pierce spun in the air, the blade barely missing him and swinging past him as he continued to spin repeatedly until his feet hit the ground.

He dashed forward in the next instant, bringing his blade in low and swinging it up high toward Lorans' upper body. But the other man just dropped his blade and slammed his palms together, using all of his might to stop Pierce's Keyblade from striking him in the face. Pierce grunted and pushed down with all his might, and Lorans' arms slowly began to give, the blade inching closer to his face. But Lorans smirked as his hand glowed with magic, and in the next instant, Pierce let out a yell of pain and flew back into the wall, still buzzing with electricity from Lorans' thunder spell. He ran back toward him and slid onto his back. As Lorans raised his blade high to try and strike the sliding Rikkison, Pierce threw his Keyblade up, knocking Lorans' out of his hand and swiftly punching upward as he slid between the other man's legs. Lorans screamed loudly as he left the ground and soared up into the air several feet, before crashing back down.

Pierce slid another few feet before tucking his legs up and jumping up, back-flipping in the air and landing on his feet, holding his Keyblade up and ready. Lorans stood back on his feet and angrily punched the ground, sending a wave of fire exploding up from beneath the ground and flying toward Pierce. The young Rikkison merely tapped into his own inner light and held back his sword in a ready position as he began to glow. When the exploding flames were only a split-second away from him, he swung wide as his Keyblade glowed brightly. A bright sphere encased him, shielding him from the flames and making much of it bounce back toward Lorans, who quickly held out his hands and extinguished it with a powerful ice spell that quickly covered the area. Pierce smirked, knowing that his boots had spikes, giving him tread on the ice. Lorans had just inadvertently given his opponent the advantage.

Pierce sprinted across the frozen ground beneath their feet, leaping over a block of ice sent his way, and rolling under Lorans' thrown Keyblade as he neared the man. Instead of calling his blade back, Lorans dashed forward with surprising speed for a man his size and grabbed ahold of Pierce's throat, turning to the side and slamming him to the ground. Pierce tried to fight off the fingers that were crushing his neck, but Lorans was too strong for him. It was obvious that between the two, the older man had an advantage in physical strength. So Pierce did the only logical thing he could think of in that moment: he reached over and grabbed Lorans' other hands, bringing it to his mouth and biting three of his fingers as hard as his jaw could manage. Lorans screamed in fury and slackened his grip on the boy's throat, but didn't fully let go. That was all Pierce needed, however. He rolled over swiftly, tearing the massive hand away from his throat and quickly propelling himself onto his feet.

He then turned and leaped up, putting both of his legs out in front of him and placing them both on Lorans' chest. He kicked with all of the strength in his legs, sending them both flying in opposite directions. Lorans snarled as he flew off his feet and crashed into the stone wall behind him, flying through it and leaving a massive hole.

Pierce meanwhile flipped around, calling his Keyblade to his hand and driving the blade into the ice, stopping his own acceleration and planting his feet on the ice again. He smirked as he saw the massive Lorans-shaped hole in the wall and quickly ran out through it.

Lorans was lying on the ground several yards away from the arena he had made, but quickly got to his feet as he saw Pierce charge out toward him. But instead of attacking head on, he got to his feet and leaped up to the right, soaring toward the black and dying tree and planting his blade into the bark, before drawing it out and running up the rest of the trunk, landing on a platform that somehow remained from the childhood tree house that had once stood there. Pierce glared at him and prepared to follow him, but that was when Lorans changed his Keyblade into a massive ball that looked like a mix of light and dark energies. "You think you're such a big man now, well other than your name and your father, who are you, pretty boy?!" he roared, throwing it down at him.

Pierce smirked as he held back his Keyblade, which glowed brightly with light again, and threw it into the mass of swirling energies. The resulting explosion blew up the ledge that Lorans was standing on and sent him flying down toward the ground. "Oh I'm no one special, just the one bearing the most powerful being in the universe, the single survivor of a group that you did all you could to wipe out, the TEENAGER that you fear the most…" Pierce muttered, holding his smirk. He then saw that the rubble was falling right down to where Sora was chained up, and sighed as he held up his hand and quickly blasted the falling piece of the tree trunk to smithereens, showering Sora in wood chips. A moment later, Lorans leaped out of the smoke and swung his blade down onto Pierce's, who was holding it backhand and blocked the attack with it. "Oh yeah, and I'm the one who's going to kill you." Pierce told him calmly, pushing him backward. Lorans groaned as he stumbled backward, and Pierce took the chance to leap up and spin in the air, swiftly bringing his foot around and kicking him across the face so hard that Lorans soared back into the canyon wall and fell down onto the ice-covered ground, shattering it with his impact.

He sighed and wiped the blood from his lip as he stood back up and saw Pierce calmly standing at the point where the ground sank into the arena. "Enough of this then!" Lorans yelled, placing his Keyblade in the ground and holding both his hands up, curling them into fists and screaming in agony. Slowly, orange energy began to surround him, and his eye flashed from blue to white, showing that a divine being's presence was now made known. "Now you can witness the true face of Corruption, kid! But as you can see, unlike you, I'm strong enough to maintain control of mine!" he yelled, picking his blade up once again. Pierce stared at him and narrowed his eyes, but he wasn't afraid of in the slightest.

"You talk like that's gonna save you!" he yelled back as he jumped down into the crater and charged. Lorans smirked as he dashed forward faster than Pierce could see him, grabbing onto the boy's shoulders and kneeing him in the stomach with all the force that only a divine being could muster. Pierce groaned loudly and lurched forward, the wind momentarily knocked out of him. He looked up to see Lorans rear back and head-butt him, sending him flying off of his feet. As Pierce slowly got back to his feet, Lorans dashed forward again, raising his Keyblade back and going for the kill this time.

He smiled widely, his white eyes narrowing as he brought his blade crashing down toward Pierce, who was still clutching his head. But in less than a second, Pierce reached out, catching Lorans' wrist and stopping the attack. Lorans looked at him surprise and tried to push down, but couldn't. That was when Pierce looked up at him, revealing his now white-colored eyes. Lorans' smirk disappeared as Pierce calmly threw his arm forward and sent his opponent flying through the opposite wall of the crater.

As Lorans crashed onto the ground on the other side of what used to be the beach, he saw Pierce hover out through the new hole his body had made. Slowly, the wanderer attire worn by Pierce disappeared, covered by white fire that engulfed his entire body in a white silhouette, and only his eyes were bright enough to still be seen. "Finally, the time has come! Light shall fall this day, and you with it, Rikkison!" Lorans yelled in anticipation, holding up his Keyblade once more.

Light calmly hovered closer to him, Pierce's Keyblade idly floating by his hand. At least Lorans thought that Light had taken control, but the way he talked was like Pierce. "The only one who shall fall this day, Lorans, is you. I am a wanderer, like my great father before me. No, I am not Jack Rikkison, nor will I ever be. But it isn't the memory of my proud father that you have to fear. No, on this day, it is I, his son Pierce, that you must fear, old man. Tremble before me, for I will be the last one you see in this life." he calmly spoke. Lorans glared at him and stood to his feet.

"Come on then!" he yelled, dashing forward. Pierce dashed forward at the same moment, and they collided, grappling with one another. Lorans reached back and punched upward, sending Pierce flying up into the air and chasing after him now that they could both fly. "Where will you go now, Pierce?! Jack, Mist, Rayne, even MAREK has abandoned you! You are alone, and you will die that way!" he yelled tauntingly as he neared him. Pierce whirled around in the air, grabbing hold of his Keyblade and slamming it against Lorans', showering them both in sparks. Lorans glared at him and reached out, grabbing him by the throat. Pierce didn't even flinch as he just flexed his free hand, his white flames repulsing greatly and sending Lorans soaring back through the air.

"Light may have destroyed everything you cherished, but by doing the same to me, you have made yourself nothing more than a monster who takes parents away from children." Pierce growled as he flew toward him. Lorans didn't move, he just hovered in the air on his back as Pierce flew up to him, holding back his blade and preparing for the killing stroke. But that was when Lorans suddenly dashed around, instantly getting behind Pierce and driving his Keyblade through the young man's abdomen.

"It made no difference in the end. I still killed Light, and the last of the Rikkisons with it…." he whispered through Pierce's ear as the flames began to flicker and the deep voice of Light began to scream an echoing scream that carried on for several moments. Lorans then pulled his blade back out and victoriously stared at his opponent. **(end It has to be this way)**

Pierce slowly turned around in mid-air, Light's voice finally dying away and the last of the flames vanishing, leaving Pierce in his normal attire, but with a gaping wound through his lower torso. For some reason, he wasn't falling to the ground, but he was struggling to breathe. Lorans only smiled even wider. "Only divine beings can kill each other, Pierce! Now I truly am immortal! You still failed, no matter what you promised yourself and your fallen companions, YOU HAVE FAILED." he told the dying boy happily. Pierce swallowed hard and shook his head.

"I don't think so….." he said, still shaking his head. Lorans frowned and widened his eyes at what happened next…

**Yes, I'm cutting off here, sue me, haha! Well I hope you enjoyed it, and stay tuned for the next chapter, coming either late tonight or tomorrow morning! **


	69. Ch 69: Journey's End

**Well, at least from what I've seen, you all liked the first half of the final battle! After these few shout outs, it's time for round 2!**

**No. XIII: Thanks! That is the popular belief about what's gonna happen, haha! **

**Shadowdragon1317: Keep your eyes on the screen, you don't wanna miss it! **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Well, you asked and I delivered, so I'm glad you like it! Could be, maybe…**

**13TheAce: Haha, thanks! Most of the time I just make it up as I go! Well you didn't have to wait long, at least! **

**The Unknowing Herald: And we probably never will, either. What time travel trip are you talking about, good sir? ;D Thanks, and you guessed it, of course. Don't go back and check his review now, guys, just read the chapter. It's a good idea, but no. **

**Alright, so you know what I own by now, at least I hope you do…..**

Chapter 69: Journey's End

Lorans smirked and stared at Pierce and his gaping wound, watching the boy struggle to breathe. "YOU HAVE FAILED!" he yelled triumphantly. Pierce shook his head slowly.

"I don't think so….." he muttered. Lorans just laughed quietly in confusion.

"Light is destroyed, forever! You cannot hope to kill me now, Pierce! I am the last divine being!" he told him happily. But Pierce just shook his head.

"No. You're not." he told him calmly. A moment later, he blinked, and his green eyes instantly turned yellow.

"What is this?!" Lorans yelled in shock, backing away through the air as Pierce leaned back slightly and breathed in deeply, his wound sealing up in a matter of seconds. "Impossible!" he yelled as darkness began to surround Pierce and the black haired teen just smiled broadly. In a matter of moments, dark fire covered Pierce's body, but unlike his Light form, his normal self could still be seen. Only his eyes changed and he and his weapon were covered in an aura of darkness.

"So this is what Marek planned, all along….." Pierce muttered, thinking back. He remembered how Marek had cast a spell that blew him back toward the time portal. But it must have carried more than just wind when it hit Pierce's body. But in so doing, his uncle's last act had been to save his life, on two different occasions. He looked at Lorans and smirked. "So, you were saying about me having failed?" he asked. Lorans just glared at him and cursed under his breath.

"So you have Darkness, as well. Light has always been stronger than Darkness, so what hope do you have?!" he yelled angrily. Pierce shrugged his shoulders. **(Pierce's Theme{To Glory, Two Steps from Hell})**

"Well, I'm no one special. I'm just the last Rikkison. But remember, Lorans. I told you I would kill you. Those weren't empty words. It ends here, once and for all. So give me a good fight, Lorans. You owe me something for all the crap you put me through." he told him sincerely. Lorans just growled and readied his Keyblade, and the two prepared to fight in mid-air.

Lorans made the first move, dashing through the air with his blade raised. But as he got close to Pierce, the Rikkison merely turned to the side and let his opponent fly right past him. He then flew after him and latched himself onto Lorans' back, tightly wrapping his arms around the other man's neck. Lorans reared back and head-butted him with the back of his head and knocked him off. Pierce shook it off, but found Lorans already pressing his advantage. "You're unaccustomed to Darkness, boy! That gives me the advantage!" the old man yelled with a smirk. Pierce shook his head and flexed his hands. A wave of swirling darkness appeared out of nowhere and shot forth out of his palms, flying toward Lorans, who held up his Keyblade to block. The darkness overwhelmed his barrier and engulfed him, causing him to scream in agony due to being a divine being at the time. Pierce twirled his Keyblade and reared back, throwing it at the blinded old man. Lorans saw it coming at the last second and tried to dodge, but due to being larger and older than Pierce, he didn't have the same agility. The blade of darkness still cut through the armor covering his side, leaving a gash on his side that Lorans put his hand on. He held his hand in front of his face and saw the warm blood on his fingers, and he angrily glared at Pierce as he drew his arms in and dashed through the air toward him. Pierce readied to block, but Lorans just wrapped his arms around his young opponent and knocked him out of the air.

They both began to freefall down out of the air, Pierce punching Lorans in the face over and over. But every time he would raise his Keyblade, Lorans would flip through the air, throwing his aim off. At the last second, Lorans leaped off of him and let him crash into the ground, leaving a large crater in the fallen teen's wake. Lorans likewise crashed several hundred yards further down what used to be the beach, coming in at an angle and so he left a long stretch of indention instead of a crater.

As Pierce hovered out of his crater covered in darkness, Lorans stood up and faced him. The darkness clad teen held out both of his hands, sending out a broad black laser that soared straight for where Lorans was standing. The older man put his blade in the ground and swiftly crossed his wrists, one over the other and flexed his hands, countering with a crimson colored laser that met Pierce's halfway between them. "Are you sure you can handle this, little one?!" Lorans taunted with a smirk. Pierce's face shone with sweat from the effort of holding his spell, but his voice didn't show any weakness.

"Are you sure your decrepitude won't kick in before we're done, old timer?!" he countered as he began to slide backward, his spiked boots leaving lines in the ground. Lorans smirked.

"There's no chance of you overcoming me! Everyone who used Darkness was always defeated!" he yelled. Pierce only smirked.

"That is only because they used it the wrong way! Darkness was born out of envy and anger! It must intentionally be used for good in order to become something it was not ever meant to be!" he replied, slowly taking a step forward, and inch by inch, his spell of darkness began to overwhelm Lorans'.

"What are you talking about?!" he demanded angrily. Pierce just kept smirking as he continued walking forward.

"When a single light shines through the darkness, hidden things are always found within, some good, and some bad! But in this case, and unfortunately for you, among this darkness is my OWN light! Not borrowed from Light, but born out of my own heart! And when you fuse true and good light with Darkness that has only ever been manipulated for one purpose, who knows what will happen?!" he yelled happily. Lorans' eyes went wide and he swallowed hard.

"Pierce, don't….!" he began to yell, but Pierce closed his eyes and smiled as a bright light began to shine even through his aura of darkness. Before either of them knew what was happening, that same bright light crept out of Pierce's Keyblade and wove itself onto the teen's laser of darkness, interlining itself with its oldest enemy. In another moment, the light tightened around the darkness and almost seemingly began to choke it. Lorans could barely let out an echoing scream as a moment later, a glowing dark blue laser shot out of the end of the light and dark one and instantly overwhelmed Lorans' crimson attack.

The laser reached the tip of Lorans' Keyblade and shattered it into several hundred pieces that disappeared in seconds. "NO! This is impossible!" he screamed, now empty-handed. He suddenly looked up at Pierce, who reared back and dashed through the air. Lorans could only swallow and hold his hands up over his face as Pierce flew toward him in less than a second. "We're done here, old man." he heard Pierce say calmly, but angrily as a second later, he felt the teen's Keyblade impale him through the middle of the chest.

Lorans gasped for a long moment as his arms slowly fell to his sides. Pierce calmly sighed as he swiftly drew his Keyblade out of the man's body. Lorans sighed as he fell onto his back, breathing his last few breaths. Pierce twirled his Keyblade, cleaning the blood off of it and dismissing it. After that, he finally swallowed and smiled just slightly. **(end Pierce's theme)**

"I guess…..you were right, after all…..Pierce." Lorans moaned in pain. Pierce sighed and walked up to him, looking into his face and his one good eye, which was back to its normal blue.

"Neither of us were right, but both of us were ready to die for our own causes. I don't blame you for what you became in the end, Lorans. It can happen to any of us. But I will do all in my power to ensure that you never become…..this. Sora will live on, but as Sora, not a Lorans. I promise you that." he told him sincerely. Lorans smiled as he coughed up a good bit of blood.

"You really are…your father's son, Pierce. I hope he lives to see you become the man you are today. Although I also hope you don't live through a journey like the one you had to walk….." he mumbled as his breathing grew shallower. Pierce smiled at him, and the old man smiled back for several seconds, until with one last loud exhale, he stopped moving.

Pierce smiled at him as he reached down and closed the single eye and turned away, heading back toward the trunk of what was the massive tree, finding Sora still chained at the base. "Pierce, I can't believe you did it!" Sora congratulated him as Pierce cut his chains.

"Is it over?" Pierce asked tiredly.

"_Not quite." _said a voice. Sora quickly summoned his Keyblade, but Pierce just calmly turned and looked as a portal opened up near where the water's edge would have been. The hunched over, cloaked, and old looking figure that Pierce had seen in the past stepped out of it and stood in front of them.

"Who are you?!" Sora demanded, but Pierce calmly held up his hand.

"Dawnomar, am I correct?" he asked. The cloaked old and thin man nodded.

"_Indeed you are, Pierce Rikkison. You have returned the pages of history to what they originally were before being distorted by this Lorans. But through both of your meddling, the timeline itself of this universe has become distorted, unbalanced, and unstable. Even should you return to your own time now, you would find nothing but a barren and empty landscape, void of any life. Due to how unpredictable time is as of now, you could disappear at any moment, in fact." _Dawnomar began to explain to him. Pierce just looked at him in confusion.

"Then what do I do?" he asked. Dawnomar sighed.

"_By destroying one of the universe's oldest and most powerful essences, that being Light, Kingdom Hearts itself remains fractured. The kingdom that lies beyond that realm is the one that I speak for. The all powerful ones known as the Ancients will not allow this rift to remain. Light shall be reborn into the world, and the balance shall be restored." _he told him calmly. Pierce swallowed.

"So after you've restored the tear in time, would the Ancients see fit to also restore and bring back those wrongfully murdered at the hands of Lorans, who also created that same tear?" he asked the old man. Dawnomar looked away from him.

"_Dear human, it is beyond our power to bring back the dead. For unlike Xehanort and Braig, who's angry ghosts had not moved on to the next world, those many you speak of have all readily accepted their fates. The Ancients have no power to bring them back, young Rikkison. I am sorry. They cannot be resurrected." _Dawnomar told him sadly, staring out at the sky. Pierce looked at Sora and swallowed hard. Sora sighed and exchanged his look of sadness.

"_But do not despair. You will have your home back, at least, dear boy. Your time shall be restored, and you may yet find happiness in your life, even after all this that has transpired." _Dawnomar told him kindly, gesturing toward the portal. Pierce raised an eyebrow at him. _"Enter therein, and in doing so, you choose to return home with the last of your kin." _the old man told him, and if Pierce didn't know better, he could have sworn that there was a smile on old hooded man's face. He looked over at Sora, who he just remembered would be his second cousin, obviously who Dawnomar had meant.

"Well, Sora, are you ready to head home?" he asked. Sora looked at him and smiled.

"As ready as I'll ever be, Pierce." he replied with a slight nod. **(After The Fall, Two Steps from Hell)**

"Well, then. My journey ends here, and now I'm ready to move on. Let's go home." Pierce said, looking at Dawnomar one last time, who nodded to them as they walked past him and sank into the portal….

"_In every struggle, sacrifices must be made. Friends and loved ones may be lost along the way. When you are young and still in your youth, you feel almost invincible, like nothing bad can ever happen to you. And when you feel in danger, you cling to the skirts of your parents, especially those like who have such parents that I do. But not everyone is guaranteed their childhood. Every day, kids are forced to grow up sooner than should be expected of them. Some don't last through the stress and the toil. But in any struggle, lives will be lost and bonds will be tested, sometimes broken. That is the lesson I learned throughout my journey. I went from being a young and foolish kid, to growing up and becoming a young adult that would have made my father proud. _

_That day Lorans took my family away from me, and even up until Ava was torn from my arms, I felt nothing short of mindless rage, and I sought vengeance for so long. It clouded my judgment, and just caused even more pain to those that I was supposed to be leaving. If it hadn't been for Rayne, Ven, Kain, Marek, Ava, and even all the others, I never would have escaped my own rage. That day that I finally brought Lorans low for all of the crimes he had committed, I felt nothing but pity for him. It was a strange feeling to have when for almost three years I had dreamt of nothing but standing over his body in triumph. For everything that I lost over the course of my journey, I learned important values that I never would have learned otherwise. _

_This entire time, I felt trapped by some unseen destiny. At times I felt as if another was controlling my every move and thought, leading me and guiding me in ways that I can't possibly comprehend. But standing here now, at the end of my journey, I've never felt so alone, but at the same time, I've never felt stronger. More than anything, I long to see my parents, and Rayne….and Ava again. Marek too sometimes. I miss them all, and the only relieving thought to my loneliness is that one day I will see them all again._"

LOCATION ?, DATE ?...

Pierce didn't know where he was, or what had just happened, but he realized that he was asleep. He reached up, stretching comfortably, and slowly propped himself up on his elbows, rubbing his eyes and glancing around at where he had fallen asleep in. To his shock, he was in a room, and he was lying in a bed. He quickly got out of the bed and looked down at himself. He was wearing blue shorts and a tank top. He quickly looked around, finding a door to his left, and ran into the room.

It was a bathroom, and he quickly turned around and looked into the mirror. His eyes widened, and he leaned forward, placing his hands on the sink and leaning on it. A scar no longer covered his face, and he reached up and ran a hand through his natural brown hair. He smiled widely as he looked down at himself, realizing what Dawnomar had deliberately avoided saying: they wouldn't need to be resurrected, because fixing the tear would reset time.

He just shook his head at the old man's wit, and instantly realized something. He bolted outside the room and quickly ran out his bedroom door. He was in the Land of Departure, and that had been his old bedroom. He smiled widely as he ran down the hallway and stopped at the top of the stairs. He looked over and his stomach clenched as he saw Griffin leaning against the window, staring out. "Morning." the red head muttered to him while munching on an apple. Pierce didn't know what to say to him, and looked over to the couch.

He walked down the stairs and walked up to the couch, where the pink haired Ava was sitting, reading a book of some kind. "Ava….." he began. She looked up and looked at him with a sort of admiring look that he had never noticed before.

"Morning." she told him with a smile, but before she could say anything else, he reached down and scooped her up, kissing her on the lips for several moments. She was completely taken aback for a few seconds, but then she returned it.

Right as they broke apart, he smiled at her, and she blushed but smiled back, Eraqus walked into the room with a tray of food. "Oh, Pierce. I thought you were still asleep, so I was going to bring up some breakfast." he greeted with a smile. Pierce couldn't help but smile even wider at seeing his long dead master alive and well again. Eraqus noticed his smile and raised an eyebrow. "Is everything okay, Pierce?" he asked.

Pierce just nodded, intertwining his hand with Ava's, who was still completely shocked. "Yes, master, I am. I just a feeling that today's gonna be a very good day." he told him, smiling widely.

"_The Ancients found us worthy enough of restoring our original timeline, but with Light's capabilities altered so as to avoid anything that had happened to bring Lorans to our doorstep. But, just like books will seldom be re-released, I was found worthy of the same treatment. Even after wading through the wars and the trials I faced, my story is reborn, and my journey….has begun anew." _

**A New Path, A New Wanderer, By TerraKH…**

**Fourth book in the Wanderer's series…**

**A trip into the Rikkisons' own history…..**

**An unforgettable journey…..**

**Of a boy who lost everything…**

**And then regained it, having learned how precious every single piece of life really is…..**

**CREDITS: **

**Special thanks to all those who reviewed at least a few times:**

**MEleeSmasher.**

**Bezerker21.**

**TheEighthLight.**

**Janazza.**

**AngelicWinds. **

**No. XIII.**

**Shadowdragon1317.**

**13TheAce.**

**Celeron96.**

**Legionary Prime.**

**Izumi Natsuno.**

**Lucenthia.**

**Gohan Roxas.**

**Alright, so if I forgot anybody, please let me know!**

**But one more credit, actually technically two. I want to personally thank you all, both those who have been with me since close to the beginning and those who have recently joined. I thank you all for giving me the encouragement and the support I needed to see this through, and I really am glad that you all enjoyed it enough to see it through to the end. Of course there's one more chapter, but this is the end of the official story. **

**And while I thank you all for that, there are two in particular that to me personally deserve individual thank you's that are long overdue:**

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R and The Unknowing Herald: Pretty much since the beginning, Twilight has been with me, helping me with her superior writing skills. And it is because of her and mostly her alone, that I grew from IDoD to RTDoD. Halfway through RTDoD, Herald joined this circus, haha. And so between the help and advice of these two authors that I dearly hope I can be as good as them one day, that I have grown over the past year as a writer since joining this site. So thank you, both of you. You've definitely earned it from me. **

**But nonetheless, I sincerely appreciate and thank all of you for the support you have shown me and the friends that I have among you. I hope you'll have the courage to put up with me for another long trip, because as you'll see next chapter, I'm gearing up for another ride! **

**So I hope you'll stay tuned for next chapter, and I'll see you tomorrow to officially declare A New Path, A New Wanderer complete! **

**Yes, now you can shut off the song, haha! ;D**


	70. Secret Ending: A Story Left Untold

**Hey, everyone, and welcome to the FINAL chapter of NPNW! Here are the final shout outs to the story!**

**13TheAce: Ha, he definitely is! I'm sure they are too! Thanks!**

**Gohan Roxas: Yep! The Ancients rebirthed Light, but altered his capabilities to prevent a universe-wide catastrophe. **

**Celeron96: Thanks so much! Yep, but that won't be the last time you see that version of Pierce. He IS the canon Pierce at that age, and so he will still become that, just without the scar on his face. He is traumatized, yes, but he has everyone to help him now. I'll get to that in a minute. **

**MEleeSmasher: The Ancients reduced Light's strength in order to avoid what happened in Lorans' time. **

**Shadowdragon1317: Thanks so much! It's not completely at an end, as you'll see here. Hey, it's no problem. I'm glad I was able to help someone just like I had people who helped me. It wasn't rambling, trust me! **

**No. XIII: Haha, yep! Did I worry you at all for a moment? That was my intent! Well thank you so much! Well you didn't have to wait long! **

**The Unknowing Herald: Yes, you totally did! Haha, sorry….yeah you're fine. Not a Pierce-fic, but it happens all over the timeline of the Wanderer's series. You do deserve it, but no problem, man! I'm glad it all worked out! Good to have you along, man! **

**Lucenthia: Ha, really? That's coincidental. That was the tie on top of his own journey. I hope his own journey was different from Jack's, though. If there was one thing I wanted to stress in this story, it was that Pierce is not a Jack clone. Pierce and Sora do, yes. As do the main people that died but also had pivotal roles in Pierce's journey such as Jack and Marek. Thanks! I think now it's only a couple thousand less. IDoD was 54k, WC was 55k, and RTDoD was 88k. **

**TWI1IGHTMAST3R: Thanks, and I didn't wanna be too predictable with what Pierce would do, haha. I loved that part too, hence why I wrote it that way! Yep, that's exactly right! I did, and no problem, you deserve it! **

**And so now, I will announce what happened to certain members of the LE since Pierce never walked on his journey and ran into them:**

**Pierce, who still remembered everything, went to the brothel where they found Luriel still a prisoner within. The young Rikkison did what he had to to free her, and left her in the care Ansem the Wise, who was still the leader of the Council of Sovereigns at the time. He knew what kind of reckless person she would be, and so he hoped that under Ansem's wisdom and patience, the old man would take her under his wing and teach her the values of life that she had learned on their journey together. **

**Kain kept in contact with Jack just like ever since the Third Keyblade War had ended, and served as a somewhat rogue operative of the LE, sometimes being there for whatever they needed, and sometimes disappearing, returning home to Baron or wherever he felt like going. Despite Lorans not appearing, the whole Maenad episode still occurred, but Kain and Ceodore(with the help of Golbez and the dynamic duo) were able to stop her on their own, Rydia adopting Cuore as her own and Kain rising to become a Holy Dragoon. **

**Terra and Shin still lived in the lower town of Radiant Garden, that was until they were visited by Pierce, Jack, and Sora, who slowly and patiently explained everything to them. Although somewhat hostile at first, Shin slowly began to believe them thanks to Terra's calm aura, and she was the first to accept Pierce as the friend that she did not remember. Likewise, Shin then accepted it too, and a lost bond was reforged.**

**Marek was…Marek. That is all that can be said. **

**And so now the only thing left is the glimpse of what the future holds in store for us all. And so here is the Secret Ending to NPNW! **

Secret Ending: A Story Left Untold

**(Jack's Theme 1{Final Hour, X-ray Dog})**

"_Many stories have been told thus far. Most notably the life, past, and truth of the great and legendary Keyblader Jack Rikkison. By this point in time, his story is fully known, and up until the birth and journey of his son, there is no further tale of his life. But allow us to glimpse a brief recap of his own story:_

_A young boy stood on Destiny Islands, completely alone. Unbeknownst to him, a servant of darkness stalked his every step, waiting for the prime moment to ensnare him._

_Eventually, he gained the Keyblade and drew upon his own will to fight. He was at first intended to be one of the most powerful wielders of darkness in history….._

_But destiny had other plans. He rose to become Eraqus' prodigal student, while simultaneously being Xehanort's prodigal son. _

_Even after the events that cost him seemingly everything and dooming him to wander aimlessly in exile for over an entire decade of his life, he rose up of out the shadows to become a turning point in both the Second and Third Keyblade Wars. _

_Only after this did he finally gain the rest and family that he had so long hungered for. He is the hero, and out of any of the Rikkisons, if anyone ever mentioned a famous warrior with that last name, it is doubtless that to many, Jack would be the first name to enter their thoughts. _

_But again, his story has been told and completed…at least for now. _**(end Jack's Theme 1)**

_But at the same time, there are other stories that have been told or glimpsed upon." _**(Mist's Theme{Undying Love, Two Steps from Hell})**

_A young black haired girl was sitting in a school classroom. The teacher was at the front speaking, but the girl only had eyes for the brown haired boy sitting two rows over and up a desk from her. She smiled as she dreamily stared at him, knowing that he was something special. _

_Not too long later, she had searched every inch of both the islands, but there was no trace of him anywhere. _

_It wasn't until almost four years later that she started hearing rumors of other worlds, floating out of her reach. And it was then that she searched through every place that Jack had last been seen at. Her search led her into the small cave that he had made his home, and it was there that she met a presence that she had never felt before. In reality, it was Jason, or what was left of him after his first duel with Jack. He saw the purpose in the young girl and could foresee how influential she would become in Jack's life. And so with a great deal of his remaining strength, he provided her a way off the world, via a portal of light, something only a few Keyblade masters can do. _

_She was transported to where Jack was located, and was ready to help him, already having trained in magics back home, without anyone knowing, of course. She already had her gauntlet, and she knew she would find him._

_And she did find him. She stuck with him through the Third Keyblade War and eventually gave birth to their first child, Rayne. By the time Pierce came along, she was perfectly content and happy, knowing that that boy she had first laid eyes on back when they were children was indeed something special. _**(end Mist's Theme)**

"_And thus we are brought to the tale that has just ended, and begun anew…"_

**(Pierce's Theme{To Glory, TSFH})**

_The youngest Rikkison always eagerly followed in his father's footsteps, wanting to be like him in every way. It wasn't until a little of his father's past was revealed to him that he started doubting his father's true valor. And by the time he earned his Keyblade, the villain that came to be known as Lorans tore everything dear to him out of his life. _

_Even still barely a young adult, Pierce rose to fight him, even though he himself was still a fairly new apprentice, and had not been training for every long in anything. _

_But when Lorans destroyed everything in his life and forced him and the few companions he had at that point to live on the run and be hunted across the universe, he began to understand what his father had truly gone through all throughout his life, and slowly began to mature and accept what he was going to be forced to do. _

_He united an unlikely group of allies and rebuilt the shattered LE from the ashes, rising back up to face Lorans, who fought back with everything that he had. _

_Having lost all of his companions one by one, and completely shattered after the loss of his sister and girlfriend, and the sacrifice of his uncle, he traveled through time completely alone to face his enemy in final combat. _

_Having completely embraced both the entities of Light and Darkness, he faced Lorans, who had become Corruption in the process, and severely overwhelmed him, proving once and for all that even when a single Rikkison remained, there was still hope for the universe. Then time was reset by the Ancients, who's civilization resided within the true Kingdom Hearts, granting Pierce a second chance with his life and everyone that he had lost. _**(end Pierce's Theme)**

"_But now, one story has yet to be unveiled…..One story still hides in shadow, but will soon come to light…"_

**(Marek's Theme 2{Wrong, Depeche Mode})**

_Everything was covered in complete darkness, allowing no visibility. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, briefly illuminating a figure covered in darkness that was sitting motionless on the ground. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, one glowing his natural green, and the other glowing a bright eerie yellow. "Dear Brother thought he had it bad. Xehanort's prodigal son had no idea what it's like to have a hard life….." Marek whispered loudly. _

_The scene instantly shifted, showing a young Marek standing on Destiny Islands, enviously watching his brother. Xehanort silently appeared behind him, watching him hungrily, but when Marek turned around, there was no one standing behind him. _

_A slightly older Marek summoned a blade of darkness to his hand and charged toward his younger twin brother, swinging high as his eyes flashed yellow. Jack sighed and held up his hands calmly, sending Marek flying backward without even doing anything. Xehanort had been standing atop of the highest ledge on the massive center tree, watching the moment. He looked between the two boys, instantly seeing something he could exploit. _

_The scene shifted again, now showing Marek standing on a platform covered in darkness. He cautiously took a step forward, and suddenly the darkness fled the ground, revealing a glass pillar under his feet. He looked up in the next moment to see what looked like a clone of himself. He calmly stared at his other, who was wearing clothes unlike his own, consisting of a sleeveless black shirt, black pants, and chains around his waist and chest. He called an unfamiliar Keyblade to his hand and charged against what seemed to be the Illusion, engaging him in fierce battle. _

_Again, the scene shifted, showing Marek now standing in Traverse Town, watching a young woman in the marketplace. She looked at him, and smiled, noticing his good looks. He calmly smiled back at her as he walked into the market and toward her. _

_That was when he turned and looked up, seeing a strange man standing on top of one of the buildings near him. The man smirked at him as he leaped up and flipped repeatedly until he softly hit the ground. He reached behind him and drew two short swords, holding them both backhand. At the same time, he flicked his wrist, throwing a smoke grenade of some kind and fogging the entire area and blending into the smoke. _

_But Marek wasn't frightened. He calmly held up his Keyblade and flashed his eyes yellow, allowing him to see through the smoke and turn in time to block the man's attack from behind him. He pushed him back with a smirk, but the man reached up to the sky, and everything began to grow dark. _

_The scene shifted yet again, showing Marek standing in Where Nothing Gathers, facing Xehanort and his Organization. Xehanort spoke to him, smirking, but Marek just shook his head and replied with a cocky smile. Xehanort frowned and motioned to his vessels. Several of them leaped off of their throne simultaneously and jumped down toward him, but Marek just smirked and summoned his Keyblade. _

"_Jacky-boy thinks he's got it bad. He doesn't know a thing, he has no idea how much I wish I could make right. But maybe…by saving the future…..I can atone for my crimes once and for all. Besides, they're gonna need help against this new enemy. But who am I kidding. This isn't Jack's fight, or the LE's. It's my battle, and my war. Do you hear me, Brother? Do not try and stop me. If you want to help me, then be my guest. Otherwise, get the hell out of my way." Marek's voice echoed across the original background._

_A second lightning bolt flashed across the sky, this time revealing Marek in his new attire standing up with a white Keyblade(that had black tracings) pointed out in front of him. His new attire was armor similar to the LE's, but half of it was white, and half of it was black. Instead of the Kingdom Hearts symbol that adorned the LE's, however, Marek's bore a new symbol: a golden sun being almost entirely covered by a crescent moon. If one thing was certain, it was that Marek was back, fighting neither for good nor for evil, but this time…he meant business._

**(end Marek's Theme)**

**And so this is the literal end of NPNW! I hope you enjoyed the trailer, and I hope you're intrigued to say the least at what Marek's story will be about. It will be similar to WC in the sense that it will reveal his entire backstory, but it will also deal with a threat that is not Lorans. The sequel part of it will take place five years after the ending of RTDoD, so Pierce won't have a major part of it. But Jack, Marek, Mist, and all them will be in their early twenties, as I find it easier to write for people when they're younger like that instead of mid-thirties like they all were last time around.**

**So that's enough rambling, sorry. But I don't know when the story will be out, but it's my next planned thing, so I'm gonna wrap up Untold Stories and work on IDoD final mix and Catching Fire for a few weeks, plus now that school's starting back up for me, I won't be on here as much, but I will do my utmost to get Marek's story out asap. Alright, well this is TerraKH signing off for the final time on NPNW. Leave me any final thoughts on the story or my future projects and tell me what you think of the trailer and Marek's theme! Does it fit him? **

**Okay, well I'm off now. See ya around, everyone!**


End file.
